AmeriCorps project aids public sector with 14 workers in Franklin County.
SALEM – As a little boy, Robert Hyde would tell people he was going to be just like his Uncle Freddy when he grew up.
Now 18, Hyde hasn’t yet made it as far up the ranks as his uncle Fred, chief of the Wilton Fire Department.
But, as a high school senior at Mt. Abram, he is on his way to a promising career in fire fighting, and earning money toward his college education as he goes.
Hyde is one of 14 AmeriCorps volunteers, heading a pilot project in Franklin County that partners the national service program, often dubbed the domestic Peace Corps, and Foster Regional Applied Technology Center. The purpose is to bring much-needed help to local public safety departments, many of which do not have the budgeting resources to provide the protection communities need.
Started this fall, so far two full-time volunteers (1,700 hours) have been placed at the Farmington Fire Department, two full-timers in Phillips serving at emergency medical technicians with AMPS ambulance service, two half-time volunteers (900 hours) at the Wilton Fire Department and eight quarter-time volunteers (300-450 hours) spread out over fire departments in Wilton, New Portland, Jay, Temple, Chesterville, Peru and Strong, where Hyde is.
Hyde started as a “hotshot,” or youth volunteer, at the Strong Volunteer Fire Department when he was 17. Now 18, he is a volunteer firefighter with the department and since being selected to be an AmeriCorps volunteer, will earn a $1,250 education stipend for 450 hours of service.
“I thought it would be a good experience in the community that has given me so much,” Hyde explained, adding he was already volunteering at the department, so why not earn money toward college while doing it.
In addition to responding to tones every time the pager clipped to his pants buzzes, Hyde will also shovel snow in front of the bays that hold firetrucks at the station, a task that has not been done before with any regularity.
He’ll also teach his classmates at the high school fire safety and has worked with the principal to organize fire drills at the school.
Hyde was recruited to the program by Kristen Brown, who in 1999 and 2000 was an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, who set up a program in SAD 58 to build service and mentoring programs.
After her two years of service was over, Brown found a way to make her volunteer position into a full-time paid one.
“The program allowed me to serve in national service locally,” she said. During her service she earned $9,500 toward education and is two credits shy of her master’s degree.
At Mt. Abram, all graduates are required to have 40 hours of community service. Hyde estimates he has over 600 and by the time the year is over, he’ll have over 1,000.
Billie Senecal is the county’s coordinator for the program. She says she has heard nothing but positive feedback from volunteers and their supervisors since the program started.
“Our volunteers are filling a need that has been there for quite some time and these volunteers will really leave a lasting impact,” she said. “The supervisors have all been thrilled with the progress.”
Because the program is federally funded, whether it will continue here in Franklin County is unknown.
For more information about the AmeriCorps program in Franklin County, phone Senecal at 491-4915.
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