Being fire chief is both challenging and rewarding. George DeMotta has been filling that role within Tracy City Fire Department for two years.
Being a small volunteer station's fire chief has challenges but is most rewarding for those committed to serving their community. George DeMotta, the fire chief of Tracy City for the past two years, has devoted his life to service.
After starting in Pelham, DeMotta moved to Tracy City and soon learned that the fire department was working on a shoestring budget and was using old equipment. At present, George is pleased that the city has paid more attention to having a working budget to keep the necessary equipment and supplies to do their job. This task is not easy, given that some purchases may take months to receive and may appear in the following year with a new budget and changes.
A small-town volunteer has to wear several hats and perform more than one job. A typical day for Chief DeMotta starts with an early start to the shop to maintain the fleet of buses for Sethra. From there, he can closely monitor any emergency and respond when necessary. He’s at the station by 3:30 a.m., where he resumes his duties, does his paperwork, and returns any business calls. The chief is on top of ensuring that his team has the proper training on all equipment, including a four-hour basic course for all recruits, driving training, extrication training, and a host of other training events. Those events must be scheduled for all volunteers to be better equipped and trained to do their absolute best and come home safely. Attention to safety is a priority for DeMotta.
He is continuously looking for better tools to help them do their job safely and effectively. The city council has given more attention to these needs and is doing its best to support our volunteer firefighters with an improved budget and support in submitting grant proposals for needed equipment. There are always needs, but George is on top of assessing those needs and prioritizing them.
One never knows what to expect as a volunteer fireman. A day as a volunteer will have several slow times. On the other hand, on a stormy night of weather, Tracy City Fire Department recently had 29 calls between 1:30 and 8:30 a.m. You must be vigilant and prepared to go immediately and stay as long as needed to complete the job. That night, all the firefighters used their equipment and trucks to respond to the calls.
The logistics of responding to an emergency dispatch include hearing the emergency and getting notice through phone and text. Each volunteer has a phone app to which they have access and communicate with one another if they are in route or unable to go. A response may be to tell someone to throw their gear in the truck while they meet them at the site. The station has two trucks and a rescue unit.
DeMotta said, “A truck should pull out of here in no more than 4 minutes upon receiving a call.”
This assumes someone is at the station. The goal is to reach the emergency within ten minutes. Six volunteers can go with a truck, and he proudly asserts, “We have an awesome group of guys. If they are able, they are always here.”
In addition, George can rely on backup volunteers from other stations if needed. There is much cooperation in response to emergencies. They include Foster Falls, Gruetli-Laager, Altamont, Beersheba Springs, Coalmont, Palmer, Pelham, and Monteagle. But George ensures that one unit is always left behind in Tracy City if they are called outside their area to help with a fire.
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