The dreaded cry of "fire" causes immediate alarm and concern for safety. A century ago, the instinct for self-preservation—and good neighbors with buckets—were just about the only tools residents of this area had for fire control.

Local fire companies and other emergency response units were tested to their limits over the weekend, especially in Gloucester County, where brush fires, fanned by gale-force winds, consumed more than 1,500 acres.

The volunteers who so nobly serve our communities responded to the calls. Backed up by firefighting units from neighboring localities, including Mathews, they succeeded in protecting lives and much of the property in the path of the wind-whipped flames.

After hours of effort, the numerous wildfires were brought under control, and volunteers could go home for a shower and some sleep … after returning their equipment to the station, refilling their tanks and cleaning their tools. However, their rest is short-lived;...