ANSWERING THE CALL VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS PROVIDE SERVICE TO COMMUNITIES.

Byline: Amy Raisin Staff Writer

GREEN VALLEY - In this sleepy town deep in San Francisquito Canyon, the local fire brigade - all volunteers, though they eschew the term - is alerted of an emergency with an ear-aching warning siren.

Controlled by county Fire Department honchos from somewhere in Los Angeles, the siren - reminiscent of the old civil defense sirens - can be heard from any home, hangout or hiding place in the 6.5 square miles of rural calm.

``If you're out cutting wood with a chain saw and that siren - I don't care what you're doing - you're going to hear it,'' said Jeff McCracken, a Green Valley resident who became a call firefighter 12 years ago.

The warning siren, chopping firewood - the images conjure the feel of the small, family-oriented community of about 1,800 in the forested hills between the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

Fire Station 157, nestled among the single-story houses on Spunky Canyon Road, is staffed by eight locals, including a sheet metal worker, a movie prop builder and a trucking business owner.

As any of them will acknowledge, call firefighters don't do it for the money, as they make just a little over minimum wage and are paid by Los Angeles County in two-hour blocks.

``I've got a lot of friends and family up here,'' said McCracken, who lives with his wife and two young children. ``One of the problems is we're so rural. There can be up to a half-hour for emergency response time, so if somebody up here doesn't do it, we just don't have any emergency services.''

Call fire stations - there are nine in the county, including two on Catalina Island - are set up to serve rural and isolated communities. Except for one, the stations are designed to mainly serve their immediate communities while occasionally providing supplemental assistance to the nearest fully staffed fire station.

Bob Porter is Green Valley's senior call firefighter, supervisor and, at 54, its oldest. A maintenance mechanic at HR Textron in Pacoima, Porter said he'll continue to volunteer his time and strength to Station 157 for as long as possible.

The men and woman of 157, however, spend far more time responding to rescues, traffic crashes and medical emergencies than fires. Often, they are called to assist people they have known for years.

``They have a little better sense of well-being knowing we're here,'' Porter said of his neighbors. ``This is our community. And it's nice being away from the fast pace of the city - the crime, the noise.''

Porter has been on a variety of calls in his years at the station. With about 75 percent of the calls pertaining to medical emergencies, 157 responds mostly to residents having trouble breathing, diabetics or people suffering heart attacks.

Green Valley's eight firefighters carry pagers with them in case they are nowhere near the siren's cry. They gather at the station twice a month for training, which includes working the hoses in their turn-outs - yellow firefighting pants and jackets, for the uninitiated.

Capt. Joel Harrison coordinates the call program for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and praises the commitment of the estimated 85 men and women from the county's nine stations.

``They don't make a lot of money, so the spirit of volunteerism certainly needs to be with them,'' Harrison said. ``In light of (President George W. Bush's) call to the country to step up and volunteer, this is what it's about. They're a very enthusiastic bunch.''

Harrison said there are generally two types of people who come forward to be call firefighters: those who are happy in their careers but are looking for a way to serve their community; and young men and women seeking a career in firefighting.

Prospective firefighters must go through rigorous training, but they also must live in the call station's community. This ensures both availability and familiarity with the area and people.

``We have all kinds in the program,'' Harrison said. ``We even have a monk. And a rocket scientist. It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but they're with us. Very dedicated.''

For information about becoming a call firefighter, log on to www.lacofd.org.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, map

Photo:

(1 -- color in SAC edition only) Robert Mendez, 37, pulls on his boots at Station 157 in Green Valley, which is staffed by call firefighters, many of whom have other careers.

(2 -- color in SAC edition only) Supervisor Bob Porter, Green Valley's senior call firefighter and at 54, its oldest, has been a call firefighter at Station 157 for 14 years.

(3 -- 4) Jennifer Beeler, 40, center, is one of the station's newest members, left. Don Freund, 35, at right, works on hose drills as one of the call firefighters at Green Valley Station 157.

(5) Call firefighters gather at Green Valley Station 157, which is staffed my volunteer firefighters to help serve the community. The call firefighters make just a little over minimum wage and are paid by Los Angeles County in two-hour blocks.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

Map:

GREEN VALLEY