Emergency volunteers work 4,070 hours

Eastern Alpine volunteer emergency responders contributed about 4,070 hours of their time in training, responding to people in distress, and routine maintenance and administration during 2006, according to information compiled by David Griffith, using data supplied by the volunteer groups.

Using the national volunteer rate of $18.77 an hour to value their time, they made a contribution of $76,000 that year.

Between 2002 and 2006 calls varied from 150 per year to 250 per year according to data from the Markleeville and Woodfords fire stations, emergency medical services, and search and rescue.

Call-outs tended to be heavier on weekends and between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.