It is a common trend in communities across the state: volunteer fire departments are seeing a drastic decline in the number of volunteers. In response, fire departments across Chenango County are preparing for RecruitNY - two days of special events to entice men and women in the area to lend a helping hand.
“The number of volunteers is low across the board for fire and EMS,” explained Chenango County Deputy Fire Coordinator Michael Beckwith. “There are a lot of departments in this area that are now operating with four or five volunteers and that’s it. And many of those districts don’t have anyone available during the day.”
The shortage of volunteers has forced departments to rely more and more on mutual aid from surrounding fire districts with every incoming call. This not only poses a threat in regards to response times, Beckwith explained, but also to the very existence of community-based fire departments.
The challenge of recruiting is one faced by all 21 departments in Chenango County. Changing times have led to busier lives and thus, fewer volunteers, Beckwith pointed out.
“I don’t think people realize the dangers associated with this shortage of volunteers,” he said. “The community has to realize that a community-based department is manned by the community and if people don’t step up, unfortunately things will just get worse.”
According to the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the goal is to recruit 15,000 new firefighters throughout the state by 2015. It’s an ambitious goal, said Beckwith, but one the association is hoping to attain through recruitment incentives such as state income and real property tax credits, a length of service award program, and college tuition reimbursement.
“There are many programs FASNY has put in place to get people to volunteer,” Beckwith added. “But if these incentives don’t work and people don’t join, then things are just going to get worse.”
Beckwith also noted that not all volunteer jobs require volunteers to rush into burning buildings. Other tasks of volunteer firefighters include directing traffic, working with EMS and, if trained and licensed, driving the truck.
“There’s a lot of things to do that don’t require you to stand at the end of a hose line,” he added.
For volunteer firefighters like Zachary Urda, RecruitNY is a chance to show the value of volunteerism. Urda, a volunteer for the Greene Fire Department and currently a student attending Broome Community College, is considering a long-term career in fire safety. Like Beckwith, he said declining number of volunteers has become a threat to local fire departments.
