RUSSIA: Rural Russians band together to create volunteer fire department

People in rural Russia, weaned on decades of state socialism, have a hard time being self-reliant and continue to expect the state to do everything. One small town is bucking this trend. When fire breaks out in Bichevaya, a town of 2,000 people in Russia's Far East, the call goes forth and the fire brigade is on its way. This is not a professional fire service, however. It's one of Russia's first volunteer services, and it depends entirely on the dedication and bravery of the local men. When fire breaks out in Bichevaya, a town of 2,000 in Russia's Far East, the call goes forth and the fire brigade is on its way. This is not a professional fire service, however. It's one of Russia's first volunteer service, and it depends entirely on the dedication, bravery and self-sacrifice of local men. Russia's current economic boom is taking a very long time to trickle down. More than half the population claims it has trouble paying to put food on the table. About 25 per cent of Russians live in Third World poverty, and have been entirely forgotten by the state. One of those places if the town of Bichevaya in the Khabarovsk region, not far from Russia's border with China. Most residents are unemployed, and their only activity is subsistence farming. Those who do have work --- often in the town administration or the forestry industry -- make about 3,000 rubles a month (a little more than $100 USD). The local government recently decided it could no longer afford the costs of a fire brigade, and shut its small service down. Local citizens, however, decided to take matters into their own hands. Since nearly all the houses in the town are made of wood, fire is a constant and serious threat because many people still use wood-burning stoves and fireplaces for daily chores. The volunteer fire brigade now numbers 12 men. Some of them are unemployed, while others have full-time jobs but drop everything once the signal goes out. The town council contributed a 40 year old fire truck, and some worn-out firemen uniforms. Don't expect to see the truck roaring down the street with sirens blaring. This bucket-of-bolts can only creep along at slow speed, and it is often plagued by technical problems. Once firemen arrive at the scene there are often mishaps. For instance, they have trouble hooking up the hoses and water often goes spouting in all directions. "People here are friendly and we try to help each other,'' said Viktor Pogrebnichenko, a volunteer fireman. "They help us with everything. People help bring us water or snow, or help us pull out the hoses.'' Nevertheless, the volunteers give it their best shot, and can sometimes prove how clever than can be. "When we got this truck it was in awful condition; it was made in 1970, and nothing worked,'' said Alexander Kaun, a volunteer fireman. "The water pump didn't work, and the engine had to be entirely overhauled. But we did put it back to working order.'' Indeed, local residents appreciate their dedication in the face of such hardships. When this wooden house caught fire, there was little chance of saving it. But the effort of the volunteer fire brigade helped to stop it from spreading. "In the end, they were able to stop it from burning down entirely, said fire victim, Nadezhda Koltygina. "If it had burned entirely, then it's possible that the flames would have jumped [to the next house].'' In a country where the government is primarily preoccupied with enriching itself instead of serving the nation, citizens often have nowhere to turn. Still, most Russians, weaned on decades of state socialism, have a hard time becoming self-reliant and continue to expect the state to do everything. However, some people, like the residents of Bicheyava, are willing to take matters into their own hands even if they totally lack the financial means to do so.

ITN Source | January 19, 2007

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