53 Counties participated in Recruit NY
Over the course of the weekend of April 9-10th, hundreds of fire departments participated in the first ever statewide volunteer firefighter recruitment effort called Recruit NY. With the help of a variety of digital, social and traditional media efforts from the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York and its statewide partners, local fire departments statewide opened their doors to area residents during the opening weekend of National Volunteer Week. The initiative proved to be a successful opportunity to highlight the duties and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter.
Recruit NY was a new approach by fire service leaders to increase volunteer membership numbers across the state. For the first time, 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 joined forces to assist fire departments in expanding their recruitment efforts.
“The Recruit NY program demonstrates that when we work together, we can accomplish so much,” said FASNY President David Jacobowitz. “In just the first year of the program, fire departments in 53 out of the state’s 62 counties held recruitment drives. And thanks to the program, we have seen an increase in the number of applicants at fire departments in various departments and regions of the state.”
In the months leading up to Recruit NY weekend, hundreds of fire departments accessed recruitment resources, communication tools, and tips via the FASNY-designed website – www.recruitny.org – to help them conduct an open house at their firehouse during the recruitment weekend.
Throughout the recruitment drive, fire departments conducted tours of their firehouses and apparatus, allowing visitors to try on turnout gear, and providing activities and various stations throughout the firehouse that allowed visitors to sample some of the equipment and techniques firefighters use every day. The fire departments discussed the requirements to be a volunteer, as well as conducted demonstrations, answered questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department.
Overall, hundreds of volunteer fire departments in 53 of the state’s 62 counties participated in the Recruit NY weekend. Among the nine counties that did not participate, four of them are located in the City of New York.
There was extensive press coverage on the program, from major newspaper articles to top TV and radio segments. More than 150 news outlets covered the program, including the Associated Press and the Gannett newspapers.
FASNY would like to thank all the fire departments throughout the state that took part in the successful recruitment drive, and is already looking forward to the second annual recruitment event next year!
To check out Recruit NY photos, media coverage and more, visit www.recruitny.org or www.fasny.com. Over the course of the weekend of April 9-10th, hundreds of fire departments participated in the first ever statewide volunteer firefighter recruitment effort called Recruit NY. With the help of a variety of digital, social and traditional media efforts from the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York and its statewide partners, local fire departments statewide opened their doors to area residents during the opening weekend of National Volunteer Week. The initiative proved to be a successful opportunity to highlight the duties and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter.
Recruit NY was a new approach by fire service leaders to increase volunteer membership numbers across the state. For the first time, 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 joined forces to assist fire departments in expanding their recruitment efforts.
“The Recruit NY program demonstrates that when we work together, we can accomplish so much,” said FASNY President David Jacobowitz. “In just the first year of the program, fire departments in 53 out of the state’s 62 counties held recruitment drives. And thanks to the program, we have seen an increase in the number of applicants at fire departments in various departments and regions of the state.”
In the months leading up to Recruit NY weekend, hundreds of fire departments accessed recruitment resources, communication tools, and tips via the FASNY-designed website – www.recruitny.org – to help them conduct an open house at their firehouse during the recruitment weekend.
Throughout the recruitment drive, fire departments conducted tours of their firehouses and apparatus, allowing visitors to try on turnout gear, and providing activities and various stations throughout the firehouse that allowed visitors to sample some of the equipment and techniques firefighters use every day. The fire departments discussed the requirements to be a volunteer, as well as conducted demonstrations, answered questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department.
Overall, hundreds of volunteer fire departments in 53 of the state’s 62 counties participated in the Recruit NY weekend. Among the nine counties that did not participate, four of them are located in the City of New York.
There was extensive press coverage on the program, from major newspaper articles to top TV and radio segments. More than 150 news outlets covered the program, including the Associated Press and the Gannett newspapers.
FASNY would like to thank all the fire departments throughout the state that took part in the successful recruitment drive, and is already looking forward to the second annual recruitment event next year!
To check out Recruit NY photos, media coverage and more, visit www.recruitny.org.