Williams Fire Department has 24/7 staff for first time in 100-year history

WILLIAMS, AZ (AZFamily) — For over 100 years, the Williams Fire Department has relied on volunteers but hasn't been staffed 24/7. Now, that's changed for the first time since the department was created.

"This is a great opportunity to give back to the community," said Chase Pearson, who has volunteered at his hometown fire department since 1999. "I love it, I love my job. I know a lot of the volunteers that are helping love what they're doing as well."

A few years ago, he got the first full-time chief position in the department, but the rest of the station has remained volunteer-only.

Pearson says the volunteers are incredible, but because they don't have an entire staff, it can impact response time.

"All the volunteers have full-time jobs somewhere else," he said. "So if they are not able to drop their tools or they are out of town, we don't have the level of response that a full-time fire department does."

This year, after more than a century, they hired three full-time captains to keep someone at the station 24/7 and help oversee the volunteers.

"These are historic changes," Pearson said. "My position starting was a huge change for Williams."

Pearson says increased tourism during high fire danger is the main reason for the extra positions.

"Over the last couple years, we've seen a huge influx in the tourist population especially in the summertime," he said. "That's when we have our highest fire danger."

Tourism tax dollars also help fund the new positions.

"So the people that have lived here forever that were trying to shift that tax burden to the tourist population that's actually caused the increased calls for service," Pearson said.