Volunteers The Series : SacrificeBenjamin Franklin created the first volunteer fire department in the US in 1736. Today, 73% (827,150+) of firefighters in the US are members of VFDs. The series is footage taken from real emergency responses, and interviews of the volunteers involved. Through a combination of amazing response footage, reality type day-to-day station life, and compelling interviews, we want to educate, entertain you with this amazing story. When I first met the volunteers, the fact that I had no idea they sacrificed so much of there time to save lives, for no pay, and not even a thank you, was shocking. My ignorance about the volunteer fire and rescue station, just down the street from my house, made me wonder how many others in my community, and around the world, do not know about the amazing people. It was not until I began to document them, and interact with them, did I come to understand one of Americas richest and most dangerous traditions. I was filming an auto accident one day and saw something that changed my life. I saw a group of volunteers remove a woman who was bleeding to death from a car she was trapped in, and saved her life. That was the moment I wanted to put the camera down and do something to help. That was the moment I knew I was ready to make the same sacrifices, to commit hundreds of hours to training, and to stand ready when my community needs me. I was ready to leave my wife and kids at the dinner table, or in the dead of night, or during birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas...to go save someone I have never met.
