LONG EDDY  — “How do I become a firefighter in this town?”

That was the question one of the twelve volunteers asked last week during a volunteer roundup and excactly what Chief Pam Wayne and Assistant Chief Hunter Shampine wanted to hear.

As volunteers came to up the table, one by one, to pick up applications, Wayne and Shampine answered any questions they had.

The Long Eddy Hose Company has suspended service since last September, when state and county officials said they could no long respond to fires.

Since then, the Hankins-Fremont Fire Dept., Hancock Fire Dept. and East Branch fire departments have been providing coverage to the fire district.

Recently, members of the hose company have had meetings to see if they can muster enough volunteers to restart.

“That’s pretty much what we’ve been looking for, is members to sign up,” Long Eddy Fire Commissioner James Eaton, who also was at the meeting, said. “We hope to get some former firefighters, we are looking for volunteers.”

Tom Shea, who showed up to volunteer, said, “The fire company is the last entity we have left in this community.”

Jenny Porter, who is also a commissioner of the fire district, said, “Right now we need 15 members. New members will have to have a background check and be approved by the commissioners.”

The next commissioners’ meeting is Monday, April 7 at 5 p.m. at the firehouse.

With approximately 10 volunteers already signed up, Wayne said, “We need at least five more people [to hand in applications].”

Shampine said, “Every time we get another person in here, it helps.”

The next volunteer meeting of the Long Eddy Hose Company will be Tuesday, April 15 at 6 p.m.

At the most recent Town of Hancock meeting, Supervisor Jerry Vernold pointed out that the Long Eddy Hose Company owes Hancock money for the fire coverage they have been providing.

According to published reports, Vernold said Long Eddy agreed to pay $2,000 a month for coverage, which allowed the Hancock Dept.’s mutual aid insurance coverage to kick in.

According to the published report, Long Eddy officials have yet to sign a finalized contract.