Make no mistake, Thor. All of Fairfax County, along with the towns of Vienna and Herndon are protected 24 hours a day and 7 days a week by the paid professionals of the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department... not volunteers. I know that some of the fire engines, ladder trucks, ambulances and rescue squads say 'xxx Volunteer Fire Department', but greater than 95% of the time, when you see that piece of appratus, only the paid professionals of Fairfax County Fire & Rescue are on board. Fairfax County says that they have 300+ operational volunteers (volunteers that are qualified and actually do staff emergency apparatus). I can only speak for the station where I work, but I see the same 5 volunteers maybe once a week... usually for only 12 hours. Some stations have few operational volunteers and just as few administrative volunteers.
The fire truck may say volunteer, but that fire truck is maintained, fueled, staffed, equipped and partially purchased by Fairfax County tax dollars.
Welcome to one of the largest myths in Fairfax County public safety.
If you want to help the real responders out, call you Board of Supervisors member and Chairman Connoly and tell them that you are appauled by the fact that Fairfax County is the only municipality in the nation protecting a population of greater than one million citizen that staffs their ladder trucks with less than 4 firefighters. Here we are being one of the wealthiest counties in the US and we staff our ladder trucks with 3. This translates to a significant and unnecessary risk to the firefighters and also delays our two main goals in any structure fire; life safety and property conservation.
Click on the link for a video produced by the Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics illustrating the problem to the Board of Supervisors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_K-K6o5cGc
Stay safe and be educated.