Blair seeking to add paid position to volunteer fire department

BLAIR, Neb. —

The Blair Fire Volunteer Department says it's responding to around 100 more calls each year. They point to the city's economic growth. It's why city officials hope to move the department away from being solely volunteer.

Just minutes before the sirens blare for an emergency, volunteers pull up to Blair's fire department one by one in their personal cars.

"We have a very good group of very dedicated volunteers up there that do a lot for the city," said Jake Dunn, the department's second assistant fire chief.

His full-time job is Blair public safety and communications coordinator.

Dunn said most of the calls they respond to are medical emergencies.

"People tend to think that Blair hasn't grown a lot, but our daytime population probably is closer to 15,000, whereas our nig