Local fire departments hope to attract new volunteers through Recruit NY

ALBANY — “We have people who say I’m willing to try interior firefighting and that’s when you put the tank on SEBA and you go into a burning building,” said Eric Obermayer, First Assistant Chief of the Midway Fire Department, which serves Colonie.

Fighting fires is not for the faint of heart.

Chief Robert Sammons has been doing it for over two decades.

He said fire departments statewide are having trouble signing up new volunteers.

“Over the years they’ve looked at the numbers and they’ve realized the volunteer fire departments are having a hard time and the numbers are dwindling,” Sammons said.

Enter Recruit New York, which aims to attract more volunteer firefighters with a weekend of events, including open houses, tours and demonstrations.

Obermayer said things like intense training hours discourage some people from volunteering with their local fire department.

“So there’s three courses that you need,” Obermayer said. “Combined it’s around 120 hours.”

“You know and people are busier and people have two three jobs now,” Sammons said. “They have responsibilities with the children and stuff so it’s much harder to have them spend as much time here as we need them to,”

The health risks in fighting fires surrounded by burning toxins can also discourage potential volunteers.

However, Obermayer said there is more to this work than that and there is something for everyone to do.

“We need people throwing a ladder, pushing a hose line, breaking a window,” he said. “…People call us on their worse day so you’re there providing a service.”

Obermayer even convinced his wife to join several years ago before the birth of their 11-month old baby.

Besides the fulfillment of saving a life, Obermayer said the comradery with his fellow firefighters is another reason he has been doing this for more than 20 years.

“You do the job, you help people and you hang out with your family. It is another family. It really is,” Obermayer said.

The Midway Fire Department attracted three new recruits Saturday, providing they pass the training requirements.

Recruit NY is organized by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York.

To view a list of open houses on Sunday April 30th click on the Links tab of NewsChannel 13’s website.