Volunteer fire departments across New York State will open their doors to residents Saturday, April 22, and Sunday, April 23, as part of the 14th annual RecruitNY weekend. RecruitNY is a major initiative of the Firefighters Association of New York (FASNY) designed to help increase volunteer membership in local fire departments.
The past several years have been challenging for volunteer fire departments throughout New York, and many are faced with decreased membership and increased call volume. It is estimated that there are 20,000 fewer volunteer firefighters than there were twenty years ago, and it has become increasingly challenging to recruit new firefighters and retain existing ones due to the turbulent economy, busy lives and schedules, and other factors.
Today’s firefighters are responding to more calls than ever before, and calls are increasingly diverse. Volunteers answer the call for medical emergencies, flooded basements, downed power lines, automobile accidents, and of course fires. More firefighters are needed to help meet these 21st-century challenges, and bolstering their ranks is critical to providing optimum and necessary levels of protection for residents.
FASNY has worked hard over the years to develop and implement programs and events to assist New York’s 1,700-plus volunteer fire departments with recruiting new volunteers. This includes utilizing federal SAFER grant funds for programs such as the “Fire in You” outreach campaign, property and income tax breaks for volunteers, and recruitment training classes.
FASNY is also presently pursuing several pieces of legislation in Albany that would acknowledge the service of volunteer firefighters with increased benefits and incentives. These include legislation in the current state budget process that would provide a state-funded stipend to new volunteer firefighters for completing foundational basic firefighting training courses, as well as advocating for an increase of the income tax credit provisions for volunteer firefighters and allowing the state’s volunteers to combine this income tax credit with a recently expanded local property tax exemption program for volunteers.
New York’s volunteer firefighters, which respond to a majority of the emergency calls in the state, save not only lives and property, but also billions in taxpayer dollars. According to a recently released FASNY economic impact study, these dedicated volunteers help New York taxpayers save $4.7 billion annually through their services.
“This year’s annual RecruitNY campaign comes at a time when we are in need of volunteer firefighters the most,” said FASNY President Edward Tase, Jr. “We invite all New Yorkers to head down to their local departments and see what being a volunteer firefighter is all about. This weekend is a great time to meet neighbors who are volunteer firefighters and learn about how rewarding it is to help the community.”
Members of the public are invited to visit their local firehouses, where volunteer firefighters will be conducting tours of their facilities, demonstrating firefighting techniques and allowing visitors to try on turnout gear. These activities give visitors a taste of what it means to be in the fire service. Volunteer firefighters will also be on hand to discuss the requirements and rewards of joining. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, including families with children.
Individuals looking to find out if their fire department is participating in RecruitNY, visit http://www.recruitny.org/participation-area/. For more information, contact your local volunteer fire department via a non-emergency phone number or its website.
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