Nearly 600 Departments Make RecruitNY 2013 the Best Yet!

As a testament of the hard work and dedication of volunteer firefighters across New York, the 2013 RecruitNY weekend was a tremendous success, with 592 fire companies in 59 counties participating.

From Suffolk County to St. Lawrence, Buffalo to Binghamton, fire departments conducted tours of their firehouses and fire apparatus, allowed visitors to try on turnout gear and provided demonstrations and activities. Members discussed the requirements to become a volunteer, answered questions and informed visitors how to join their fire department.

The events took place over the weekend of April 27 – 28, during National Volunteer Week, which happened also to coincide with the six-month anniversary of Super Storm Sandy – a poignant reminder of the role that volunteer firefighters play in times of crisis.

In the weeks leading up to RecruitNY, a number of campaigns and programs were launched.  Our Assistant Volunteer Program Coordinators were in the field throughout the state to deliver another round of “Train the Recruiter” sessions. These classes provided firefighters and chiefs in the field with the tools necessary to recruit new members in their respective districts.

In addition, a strong collaborative effort among FASNY leadership, FASNY’s Public Relations and Recruitment and Retention committees, county fire coordinators, ABC Creative Group and DKC Public Relations resulted in a wide range of media coverage as well as advertisements and social media campaigns promoting the weekend’s events.  To see some of the news coverage, including a mention in the Wall Street Journal, visit www.recruitny.org/media.php.