FASNY college reimbursement deadline approaching

Calling all volunteer firefighters — the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has extended its college reimbursement program application deadline to Feb. 20. Depending on the requirements for each fire department, each volunteer firefighter is eligible to have up 100 percent of their college tuition reimbursed from a two-year State University of New York community colleges.

FASNY Deputy Volunteer Programs Coordinator John D’Alessandro said the college classes can be in any subject area and would be reimbursed up to 80 credits, if all the department requirements are met.

“We began this program in September 2011 through a federal grant we received through the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response ) grant we were awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” D’Alessandro said.

D’Alessandro said there is a big need for volunteer fire departments across the state and the country to recruit and retain new members.

“Volunteering can be very rewarding; the state offers lots of training for volunteers every year, especially if they want to be a structure or interior firefighter,” D’Alessandro said.

As a part of this ongoing recruitment initiative, the college reimbursement program is being offered as an incentive to people.

FASNY conducted focus groups just before it received the grant to find out why  more people were not volunteering for their local departments.

Empirical data was collected and D’Alessandro said the top reason was people did not think they had enough time to volunteer.

The program is drawing support from Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, R/C/I-10.

In a Jan. 30 press release, McLaughlin said the tuition reimbursement program and added, the “program is essential to help retain volunteer firefighters while also encouraging recruitment efforts at local community colleges. The tuition reimbursement program through FASNY is essential to ensure that our local fire departments have a sufficient number of members to keep their communities safe. This program promotes volunteer firefighting by allowing current members to have their college educations paid for while they serve their communities in the fire department.”

McLaughlin added it helps to “bolster recruitment efforts for community college students so they can help protect their local area while building experience and education for a successful career after firefighting.”

For more information on the FASNY college reimbursement program, visit www.fasny.com/resources