Welcome to The Volunteer Firefighter™, the official magazine of FASNY.
FASNY’s publication strives to bring topical, educational and entertaining information to the volunteer emergency service decision-makers and volunteers throughout New York State. It offers feature articles and columns directly relating to the emergency services, as well as editorial content, training and education opportunities, legislation, fire prevention and life safety articles, and real-life experiences. Read the most recent news and insights below.
By Kenneth Pienkowski, 125th Anniversary of the FASNY Firemen’s Home Committee Chair and Jamie Smith Quinn, Executive Director of the FASNY Museum of Firefighting The FASNY Firemen’s Home in Hudson will be celebrating its 125th anniversary May 19 and 20, 2017. A committee is actively planning a great weekend for…
Read moreBy Jamie Rockwin, PT, DPT, PN1, FASNY Health and Wellness Committee Vice Chair Springtime marks not only a time of renewal, growth and beauty, but it also spurs a blossoming passion for the parade and drill team season that burns inside many firefighters. Parades and drills bring a wave of…
Read moreBy Candice McDonald, MA, Firefighter/EMS Officer If you Google “fire chief arrested for theft” you will get over 4 million results. Headlines range from the theft of department equipment to the embezzlement of thousands of dollars. These chiefs are not alone. Firefighters of all ranks have managed to shame the…
Read moreStress can be your response to the demands of everyday life. Stress is not always a bad thing. In fact, the right amount of stress motivates you to be alert, full of energy and focused on your world. But, too much stress can be harmful to your health. It can…
Read moreOne of the key components of developing a winning team is to seek out individuals who have outstanding “team player” qualities. Every organization should be committed to hiring quality people. Consider that 80 percent of your success will be a result of who you bring in the front door. Skill…
Read moreFinding and recruiting potential volunteers to a fire or EMS department is a multi-step process that requires dedication, follow-up and follow-through. A marketing funnel helps to identify and breakdown those steps. A department’s recruitment and retention tactics should aim to move potential recruits down this funnel to increase the likelihood…
Read moreThe roundtable brings together a distinguished panel of guests working in the area of cancer prevention and awareness in the volunteer first responder community. With firefighters at an increased risk for multiple types of cancer, this is a critical topic for all members of the fire service. Topics of discussion…
Read moreBy Kelli LaPage, MS, ATC, TWCC The most valuable asset any firefighter has is their body. More valuable than any fire truck, hose or tool, the firefighter’s body is the most important asset when it comes to their job – saving lives. It is the firefighter who makes the life…
Read moreBy Candice McDonald, MA The Millennial generation, those born between 1980 and 1999, is the largest population of potential new members for the fire service. It is critical for organizational survival to integrate and embrace the talents this population has to offer. This requires fire departments to change strategies for…
Read moreBy Ed Rush I don’t need to recite the statistics, we all know the problem. We need to be honest with ourselves and realize that the volunteer fire service in this country is dying a slow death.We all know the reasons. We are losing a steady number of volunteers because…
Read more