If members of the Stuart Volunteer Fire Department have a mantra, it may well be “We are family. We are friends. We are neighbors … We are here for you.”

The department has served the community for more than a century, and throughout its history has continued to expand services to better serve the needs of the community, according to Chief Buddy Dollarhite and Erica Cipko, who serves as both a lieutenant at SVFD and secretary for the Patrick County Fire and Rescue Association.

In addition to the 2007 fire engine purchased last year, the department also improved its fire classification rating by Insurance Office Services, according to Dollarhite and Cipko.

The rating is on a 1 to 10 scale, with “one being the best and 10 being virtually no fire protection at all,” Dollarhite said. “We were at 7, but this year, we dropped our class to 5” in the Town of Stuart.

“There are only 4,000 departments in the country that have that class of 5 or lower, and fewer still volunteer squads” achieve the classification, he said, and explained that the classification has to do with the location and number of fire hydrants. The lower the class number, the less residents may have to pay for insurance. The rating is 8 outside of town limits.

Last year, SVFD volunteers answered 261 calls and participated in more than 2,600 hours of training, according to Dollarhite. Also last year, the department paid $10,600 each for classes for three fully equipped Firefighter 1 and Haz-Mat Operations certified firefighters, in addition to regular expenses that were more than $106,000.

Currently, there are 25 names on the department’s membership roster, Dollarhite said. As in many organizations, a core group of 18 volunteers serve residents in — and out — of the department’s 42-square-mile district.

“We do have quite a few long-term members. At least five of our members have been here 25 years” or more, Dollarhite said, and noted a majority of members juggle their passion for serving the community with their professional obligations.

“Most of our members are all still working,” he said. “We have a very dedicated group running calls, typically four a day.”

Some work as career EMS and/or fire personnel in nearby departments/squads, Dollarhite said.

“They’ve taken what they’ve learned here” and parlayed it into a career, Dollarhite said. “We take pride in that … we’ve got good people” and other agencies recognize that.

The SVFD also is one of four first-responder agencies in Patrick County, along with the Moorefield Store Volunteer Fire Department, the Patrick Henry Volunteer Fire Department and the Woolwine Volunteer Fire Department, Dollarhite said.

The decision to expand into EMS came when the call volume increased to the point it became “a burden on our rescue squads,” and SVFD wanted to help, Dollarhite said.

First-responder agencies answer calls for emergency medical services and provide help at the scene, but firefighting remains their primary responsibility, Dollarhite said. The department has a total of two vehicles to run EMS calls, he added.

“This year makes 10 years of us running” EMS calls, Dollarhite said. “When we decided to do first responder, we didn’t have any women in the department. As leader at that time,” Dollarhite said he felt it was important to open up membership to include that population segment.

Cipko is among five women who volunteer with the SVFD. She also opted to run EMS calls, and is currently among SVFD members partnering with the JEB Stuart Volunteer Rescue Squad to respond to calls.

Like other fire departments and rescue squads, more volunteers and additional resources are needed at SVFD.

Members of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors are looking at ways to help support fire and EMS volunteers.

Dollarhite said he believes a hybrid support system is needed, and perhaps offering volunteers stipends for running calls is a starting point. Then, “give it a year” to determine the impact, he said. “We can’t just not do anything.”

“If there were more volunteers, that would be helpful,” Cipko said. “But how do you find the ones out there that aren’t already volunteering? You have to have a heart for it.”

Anyone interested in volunteering with SVFD may call (276) 694-7330, pick up an application at the Town Office in Stuart, or attend the SVFD’s weekly meeting held Thursdays at 7 p.m.