In 2018, over 6 million volunteers in the state of Texas contributed over 563 million hours of service, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Because of volunteers, organizations are able to see success in their initiatives by connecting generous participants with programs in need of resources and community involvement. The City of Southlake is no exception. Our volunteers are a key resource to help make Southlake possible together. Volunteering with the City isn’t always a few hours here and there. Southlake Department of Public Safety volunteers remain committed throughout the year to provide extra resources to the City. During 2019, around 40 DPS volunteers completed over 3,600 hours of service to help make Southlake a better place. The devotion of the volunteers hasn’t gone unnoticed. DPS volunteers are required to complete the Fire and Police Citizens Academy and maintain a commitment to be on call as needs arise. The academy is a one evening per week course that lasts 10 weeks and provides volunteers a working knowledge of the police and fire departments. “Our volunteers are the best and we owe a lot of our success to them,” DPS Community Initiatives Coordinator Valerie Snyder said. “Because of them, our teams are able to achieve the highest standards for fire and police. DPS volunteers provide citizen on patrol ride outs, event support and serve on the fire rehab team, making sure the fire team’s physical condition is maintained during an emergency or drill. “Our volunteers are dedicated and take pride in giving back to their community,” Fire Prevention Officer Renni Burt said. “Together we are able to accomplish our goal to protect Southlake.” For more information about volunteering, visit www.volunteersouthlake.com.