Volunteer fire departments across New York State will open their doors and fire truck bays to local residents during the weekend of Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 as part of the fourth annual RecruitNY statewide volunteer firefighter recruitment effort. RecruitNY is designed to help increase volunteer membership which has suffered over the last few years due to various factors including the state of the economy.
During RecruitNY weekend, fire departments will conduct tours of their firehouses and fire apparatus, allow visitors to try on turnout gear, and provide visitor activities and stations throughout the firehouse. Members will discuss the volunteer requirements and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter, as well as conduct demonstrations, answer questions, and let visitors know how to go about joining their fire department.
“Last year, nearly 600 departments in 59 counties across the state participated in RecruitNY and we expect even more counties to get involved this year,” said James A. Burns, president of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY). “We encourage departments to sign up to let their communities know of their participation. RecruitNY has proven a success in past years and is a key initiative to help bolster membership numbers so fire departments can continue to provide the optimum level of protection to their local residents.”
Established in 2011, RecruitNY is a joint undertaking by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC), Association of Fire Districts of New York State, Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York, and County Fire Coordinators Association of the State of New York. Click here to review FAQs about volunteer fire service.
For fire departments that would like to sign up for RecruitNY, simply log on to www.recruitny.org/signup and fill out the participation form. The program provides fire departments with access to recruitment resources, communication tools, posters, banners, etc. via http://recruitny.org/resources.php to help a firehouse hold a recruitment open house.
For area residents looking for more information, or to find out if your fire department is participating in RecruitNY, visit www.recruitny.org or contact your local fire department via a non-emergency phone number or its Web site.
In addition to the annual RecruitNY campaign, FASNY is in the midst of a multi-year, year-round volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention program across New York State made possible by a $4.2 million United States Department of Homeland Security Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant that began in 2011. To learn more about the “Fire In You” campaign, visit www.fireinyou.org
About FASNY
Founded in 1872, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) represents the interests of the more than 92,200 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York State. For more information, visit www.fasny.com.
Article by Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY)