Do you want to become a firefighter? CNY fire departments to host open houses

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. — Kim Morini never planned on being a volunteer firefighter and she was afraid of heights, but that didn’t stop her from visiting the Baldwinsville Fire Department’s recruitment event in 2013.

“I was always intrigued by firefighters and when I saw they were having an open house, I went,” Morini said.

Morini has been a volunteer firefighter for about 18 months and her fellow firefighters have helped her overcome her fear of heights. Morini shared her story this morning at a news conference to kick off the RecruitNY statewide campaign. The goal of the campaign is to increase the number of volunteers across Central New York and the state.

More than 30 fire departments in Onondaga County and hundreds of departments across the state will open theirs doors this weekend to educate the public about what it takes to become a volunteer firefighter.

RecruitNY was established in 2001 as a joint undertaking by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC), Association of Fire Districts of New York State, Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York and County Fire Coordinators Association of the State of New York.

Onondaga County Fire Departments Participating in RecruitNY 2015 include: Apulia, Baldwinsville Fire & Rescue, Belgium Cold Springs Fire Department, Borodino Fire, Brewerton Fire Department, Camillus FD, Cicero Fire Department, DeWitt Fire Department, East Syracuse Fire Department, Elbridge Fire Dept, Fabius Fire Department, Fayetteville Fire Department, Jamesville Fire Department Liverpool Fire Department Inc., Lyncourt Fire Department, Lysander Fire Department, Manlius Fire Department, Mattydale Fire Department, Memphis Fire Department, Minoa Fire Department, Mottville Fire Company, Moyers Corners Fire Dept, Navarino volunteer fire department, North Syracuse Fire Department, Pompey Hill Fire Department, Seneca River Fire District, Solvay Fire Department, South Bay Fire Department, Southwood Volunteer Fire Department, Town of Clay Fire Department, Tully Hose Co#1 .

Visit the RecruityNY website to learn hours and locations for open houses.

“Just come down,” Morini said. “See the equipment and talk with the volunteers. That’s what I did and look where I am.”