Volunteer Fire Departments Hope to Boost Membership

WATERTOWN — In an effort to boost volunteer membership, several north country fire departments will open their doors to the public next weekend for the fifth annual “RecruitNY” initiative.

RecruitNY is an event organized by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York that invites locals to tour participating firehouses across the state. This year, open houses will be held Saturday and Sunday.

“Last year, over 500 fire departments across the state participated in RecruitNY and we’re optimistic that turnout will be even better this year,” FASNY President Robert N. McConville said.

In Watertown, the Northpole Fire Company will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Chief Joseph A. Wargo said visitors will be able to tour the station and the trucks and learn about some of the tools he and his firefighters use.

“We are going to be showing off our equipment and our apparatus,” he said. “We’re inviting the general public in to show what we are all about and what we do here.”

This year, Mr. Wargo invited Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies, state troopers and members of the Guilfoyle Ambulance Service to join Northpole in hosting its open house.

“We respond mutually with all these agencies,” Mr. Wargo said. “We are all collaborating, and it’s nice for the general public to see that.”

Northpole has about 35 volunteers. The organization serves the town of Pamelia and other communities in the Watertown area.

Mr. Wargo said Northpole has participated in RecruitNY for the past few years. He said the initiative has brought in a couple of members.

“We’ve met with varying results,” he said. “One year we had a few visitors, and another we had a couple of dozen stop by.”

In the town of Rutland, the Felts Mills Volunteer Fire Company will be taking part in recruitment efforts from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. First Assistant Chief Steven C. Heeren said he hopes a free breakfast will help bring out some potential volunteers. In past years, the Felts Mills department has had a tough time with recruitment.

“This year we are trying a different approach with a free community breakfast,” Mr. Heeren said. “When you’re a small rural department, you can get a little desperate.”

The Felts Mills Volunteer Fire Company has 19 members, 16 of whom are active firefighters. The station responds to about 150 calls a year.

“It’s time to get some new people out here,” Mr. Heeren said.

In addition to a free breakfast, visitors will be able to tour the station and get a close-up look at the firetrucks and equipment. Mr. Heeren said there will even be some special activities for children.

“We’ll accommodate everybody with all the questions we can answer,” he said.

The Deferiet Fire Department, 101 Riverside Drive, will have an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

“We will be having training and equipment on display,” Chief Timothy J. Irey said.

With only 21 members in the department, Deferiet is greatly in need of new recruits. To join the department, one must be at least 18 years old and live within a 3-mile radius of the village point at Riverside Drive and Wilna Avenue. The department is in need of firefighters who can qualify for interior firefighting, as there are only five now trained in that capacity, but the department also has placement for scene support and fire police.

“It’s tough,” Chief Irey said.

The Natural Bridge Fire Department, 27570 High St., will have its open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, with equipment displays and demonstrations.

Attendees at that event will have an opportunity to learn what it is like to be a firefighter with hands-on experiences of donning turnout gear, climbing into firetrucks and spraying water from fire hoses.

The fire department has about 32 members with about 10 interior firefighters. It covers about 80 square miles from Crowner Road on Route 3 to Hogsback Road in the town of Diana and Texas Road in the town of Croghan.

The Carthage Volunteer Fire Department, 685 S. James St., will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday with apparatus on display.

The department has about 20 to 25 members, Chief Sean P. McHale said. Through the Carthage-Wilna Fire District, the department provides fire protection for the majority of the town of Wilna and the village of Carthage.

The Black River Fire Department, 218 LeRay St., also will participate with an open house from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

West Carthage Volunteer Fire Department Chief Peter M. Crump Jr. said his department is planning a “fun day” at the Donald F. Getman Memorial Park on Franklin Street in May in lieu of the RecruitNY event.

Tours and demonstrations will be hosted at several other local fire departments, including some in St. Lawrence County. For a full list of participating departments, visit recruitny.org.