FIRE OFFICIALS PROMOTE HISTORIC STATEWIDE OUTREACH CAMPAIGN ON THURSDAY, JUNE 28 AT 10:30 A.M.

Press conference to highlight the largest-ever outreach campaign for volunteer firefighter recruitment

(Albany, NY) On June 28, the latest phase of a statewide volunteer firefighter recruitment advertising campaign, implemented by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), highlighted a new billboard at the intersection of Central Avenue and Dunning Street in Albany. It is one of dozens of billboards to be erected throughout the state over the next several months.

The “Is there a FIRE in you?” ad campaign is also comprised of broadcast, cable, cinema, digital, and social media advertising. The campaign features two real-life firefighters, and is designed to attract 15,189 new volunteer firefighters over the next four years. The campaign is made possible by a $4.2 Million U.S. Department of Homeland Security Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant awarded to FASNY last year.

At the press conference, State Fire Administrator Bryant D. Stevens, Deputy State Fire Administrator William R. Davis Jr., Deputy Fire Coordinator of Albany County and New York State Association of Fire Chiefs’ Fire Chief of the Year Joseph Fahd (Cohoes Fire Department), Region 1 Director of the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York Tom Rinaldi, FASNY President David Jacobowitz, and FASNY Deputy Volunteer Programs Coordinator John D’Alessandro were among those in attendance to showcase the billboard and emphasize the importance of recruiting volunteer firefighters.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a decline in the number of volunteer firefighters around the state over the last several years,” said FASNY President David Jacobowitz. “We need to utilize a variety of methods and resources to reach out to New Yorkers to join their local volunteer fire departments. The billboards and other aspects of the campaign will help spread the word and raise awareness.”

“The need to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters across the state is growing every day,” said State Fire Administrator Bryant D. Stevens. “This is one of the most extensive efforts to recruit volunteer firefighters not only in New York but in the country. It is a critical project to help attract potential recruits, which will ultimately enhance protection for the citizens of our communities.”

For more information about the “Is there a FIRE in you?” advertising campaign, please visit the Fire in You website at http://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 140,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York State.  For more information, visit www.fasny.com.

About OFPC
The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control strives to be the nationally recognized leader in fire services, delivering the highest quality, state of the art, and most comprehensive training, response, and technical assistance programs and services to emergency responders, local entities, and the citizens of New York State. The Office’s programs enable: the state’s fire service to become the best trained, well prepared and most effective professional emergency response force in the nation; New York State’s colleges, universities, state properties and its citizens, to be the safest in regard to fire prevention and awareness; and the state to maintain arson related fires at the lowest per capita within the United States.