Number of volunteer firefighters dropping locally and nationally

JACKSONVILLE, Onslow County — A fire or medical emergency can be one of the worst days of your life. Depending on where you live in Eastern Carolina, that worst day is usually where a volunteer firefighter or EMS individual comes in to help.

But it's getting harder to find those willing to volunteer and fill the ranks of rural departments. The number of people doing the job across the United States is declining like never before.

NewsChannel 12's Christina Thompson spoke with several volunteers across Onslow County to get a sense of the work they do and how filling those spots is getting tougher. Click the above video to learn more and click here for more information on how to be a volunteer in our state.