NY firehouses open doors looking for volunteers

HALFMOON, N.Y. (AP) — Fire Chief Jeremy Connors has a modern firehouse in the suburbs north of Albany with rescue and tanker trucks parked in the bays. But what he really wants is more volunteers.

The Halfmoon Fire Department will be among what organizers say could be hundreds of volunteer fire companies around New York state opening their doors this weekend in a novel attempt to bring in new blood. The departments hope the coordinated statewide effort will inspire more of their neighbors to stop by and sign up.

“People are entirely too busy,” said Connors, explaining recruiting difficulties. “Most families, both husband and wife, are working two or three jobs to try to survive.”

The drive calls for firehouses to be open on Saturday and Sunday, though departments can do what they please.

Frontier Volunteer Fire Company Chief Bruce Mack said his company will put potential volunteers in full firefighting gear, let them try to handle a hose and try a thermal imaging camera.

“We’ve got a bunch of people that have already called and said they’re interested in trying it out,” Mack said.

While large cities pay their firefighters, suburban and rural communities typically rely on volunteers. About three-quarters of New York state’s firefighters are volunteers, as are 71 percent nationally.

But the number of volunteers is down about 10 percent nationally compared to 1984. National Volunteer Fire Council Chairman Philip Stittleburg noted the number actually recovered a bit and stabilized after the Sept. 11 attacks — a disaster that claimed the lives of hundreds of New York City firefighters and greatly increased the public’s appreciation for the profession.

Still, many volunteer companies say they’re stretched too thin for comfort.

Halfmoon has 78 volunteers to handle calls, but Connors said he would be more comfortable with 100 to 125. Across the state near Niagara Falls, Frontier has 42 active members and is looking for 65.

The greatest need is for younger people to replenish the graying ranks. In smaller communities, more than a fifth of the firefighters are 50 or older, according to national statistics. Stittleburg said volunteer companies sometimes struggle to reach out to young people and need to do a better job using social media like Facebook.

The fire companies also are fighting other demographic trends. Not only are there a lot of couples with two or more jobs, people move around more than their parents did. Community bonds might not be as tight.

“Twenty, 30 years ago and even before that, the firehouse was the center of the village, the center of the community,” said David Jacobowitz, president of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York. “And if you wanted someone to talk, you’d go down and hang around the firehouse. Now there’s so much going on.”

Jacobowitz hopes that half of the 894 fire districts in New York with volunteers participate. A website, recruitny.org, has been set up with downloadable yard signs and banners as well as promotional tips (example: “Post reminders on your department’s Facebook Wall frequently.”)

Firefighters aren’t stressing it, but there are arguments for volunteering that go beyond altruism and community spirit. Unlike municipal police or highway crews, there are no salary costs for volunteer fire companies.

Sen. Roy McDonald of Saratoga County, at a news conference in Halfmoon this week promoting the open house, warned that local budgets would balloon if volunteer forces disappeared.

“If you don’t step forward it’s going to cost you a lot of money,” McDonald said. “A lot of money.”