RecruitNY coming up at end of April to get more volunteer firefighters

At the end of April, at least eight fire departments across Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties will be participating in the seventh annual RecruitNY, an effort to get more volunteer firefighters.
Fire departments have seen a shortage of volunteers over the years. Part of the reason for this, according to Dale Banker, director of Orleans County Emergency Management, is that to be a volunteer fire fighter, the state standard is 125 hours. Plus a lot of people now work two jobs and don’t have the time they used to.
William Schutt, deputy coordinator of Genesee County Emergency Management Services, said despite the history of volunteer fire service dating back to Benjamin Franklin, in general most of the volunteer departments in Genesee County were formed after World War II.
“Community involvement was high, most people worked in the county or even their town,” he said. “Farmers were the mainstay of most departments; Churches, schools and fire halls were the community centers. Fire departments were social organizations that responded to fires.”
However by 2017, Schutt said, most people now need to work outside of the county, both the husband and wife have to work at least one part-time job, small family farms are gone as well as factory jobs that provided shift work leaving no one left in town to answer daytime calls. He said some people suggest it’s a “generational” issue and the current generation “doesn’t want to volunteer for anything.” A statement Schutt finds unfair, as he points out that to be a volunteer firefighter, one must:
• Be highly trained often in specialty areas such as hazardous materials response.
• Respond without any previous notice; at 3 a.m., without notice, you must go to work instantly. Not even the U.S. military operates like this.
• Be in any type of weather for an undetermined length of time.
• Volunteer to participate in life threatening situations, like running into a burning building as others run out.
• Deal with people on the worst days of their lives, loss of a home or loved one, facing uncertain medical issues etc.
• Fundraise in many departments to cover operating gaps.
• Need people to run the business side of the fire department.
This is on top of the added fear of violence to responders, which has been added to the list.
However, because of the shortage of manpower, fire departments work well together Banker said.
“Before, say if a fire broke out right now in Orleans County during the day, may one, two, maybe three fire departments could probably respond with enough manpower and help, and go take care of the situation,” he said. “Now because of the shortage of volunteers, we’re moving eight or nine fire departments either going to the scene or standing by at a fire station to cover someone else’s territory.”
He added each fire department has a different number of fire fighters needed in order to be not short staffed; a department which answers 3,000 calls will need more people than one which only answers 100.
“There is a job for everybody in fire service. It differs a little from department to department,” Banker said. “Some fire departments have social members. It might be someone who is an accountant or whatever that really doesn’t want to join and learn how to put a ladder up and go into a burning building … but administratively by the nature of their job and their background, they can come in and help an agency.”
According to the press release put out by Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), volunteer fire service is an integral part of both life and the economy in the state.
“The annual cost of a replacement, all-paid fire service would be $3.87 billion. Furthermore, property taxes in New York state would rise by an estimated average of 26.5 percent,” the release state. “These figures do not factor in the costs of acquiring the necessary facilities and equipment needed to accommodate a paid fire service.”
The fire departments which are participating so far in RecruitNY are:
• Byron Fire Department — April 30 at 6357 East Main St. in Byron.
• East Pembroke Fire Dept. — April 30 at 2623 Main Road in East Pembroke.
• Batavia — April 29 at 8382 Lewiston Road in Batavia.
• Barre Fire Company — April 29 at 4709 Oak Orchard Road in Albion.
• Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Company — April 30 in Fancher.
• Cowlesville Fire Company — April 30 at 361 Clinton St. in Cowlesville.
• Warsaw Fire Department — April 29 at 40 East Buffalo St. in Warsaw.
• Wyoming Hook & Ladder — April 29 at 26 Maple St. in Wyoming.