Research Paper on:
Emergency Medical Technicians and Volunteer Firefighters

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Unfortunately, there doesnt appear to be many heroes left in this cynical and self-seeking modern world. On a brighter note, there are individuals who are willing to not only place  the welfare of others ahead of their own, but who are willing to brave danger and personal injury on a regular basis simply to help their communities. In other words,  there are people who fit anyones definition of true heroism. These individuals can be found at local volunteer fire departments, an organization that varies considerably from place to place.  Some volunteer departments are independent non-profit organizations that operate separately - or on the front of - the local government unit, while some of part of a broader level of  government delivery responsibility, that is, part of a consolidated or regional approach (Clay 16). Some departments are organized to offer supplemental support to career-oriented fire protections services and others are  an arm of the local township or city government; however, regardless of format, there are common threads that run throughout volunteer fire service (Clay 16). For one thing, volunteer  fire services, in general, has undergone a tremendous change in their fundamental mission over the last thirty years. In the past, volunteer services saw themselves as neighbor helping neighbor (Clay  16). However, in the 1970s, the public began to demand different kinds of services from local fire departments. Communities began to desire functions such as special rescue capability, and in  some locations, this included paramedic services (Clay 16). Some of the questions indicated with this assignment appear to be of a personal nature, such as to identify the fire  protection district "and for how long?" -- which apparently refers to how long the student has served there. Such personal information should be provided by the student. Today, many