ALBANY – The Brisben Volunteer Fire Department participated in both the Oxford and Greene Memorial Day parades this Monday, something they wouldn’t have been able to do without the efforts of state lawmakers and the signature of the governor himself.

“Firefighters perform an extraordinarily honorable and valuable service for our communities. We need to do everything we can to ensure that they are not needlessly burdened in carrying out their essential tasks,” Governor David Paterson said in a statement issued on Friday, shortly after he signed legislation which amended the state’s vehicle and traffic law.

The amendment allows non-commercially licensed firefighters and emergency responders to once more drive emergency vehicles to and from emergency situations, as well as for training, public education and other official duties, including parades.

“(This) relieves a huge burden on our departments,” said Chenango County Fire Coordinator Matt Beckwith.

According to Brisben Fire Chief Brian Burt, his department would not have been able to have trucks in both parades on Monday had the governor not signed the legislation on Friday. His major concern regarding the CDL requirement was not related to participation in either parade.

“The biggest thing I saw was morale,” Burt said. Because of the law, he said, volunteers who had countless hours of training and had been operating fire apparatus for many years were no longer able to drive those trucks. That was a blow to his department, which is comprised of just 20 active volunteers.

Still, Burt recognized that he was more fortunate than other local fire districts, even some of the larger ones. “We have seven people in our department with a CDL,” he explained. Because most of those individuals worked out of town, however, the requirement still hindered Brisben’s ability to fully perform their duties.

“I think it is a relief ... for the fire service in general,” said Greene Fire Chief Dan Montgomery, and volunteer departments like his own in particular. According to the new chief, who assumed leadership of the Greene Volunteer Fire Department in April, there are more than 60 active volunteers on the departments “roll.” Only a handful, he said, have a CDL.

While the signing was called timely by lawmakers because it allowed for fire departments to participate more fully in Memorial Day parades and events held Monday around the state, Montgomery and other local fire leaders said change was needed for a more important reason.