Your fire department needs you

It never ceases to amaze me how dozens of volunteers will turn out to douse a raging house fire or a critical accident on the Thruway.

At any time of day or night, on weekends or holidays, they arrive, motivated only by the desire to make their community a safer place to live.

In volunteer fire and ambulance work, the chiefs and officers rise through the ranks, rotated frequently through election. Members accept no pay, reacting to unpredictable, hazardous situations with high level of training and professionalism that would rival any salaried counterpart.

I had no idea what a remarkable arrangement this is until I saw how precarious it could be. You see, our local fire and ambulance services are in the midst of a membership crisis. The situation is so serious that the Fireman’s Association of the State of New York has launched a coordinated membership drive called Recruit NY in which many local fire departments are participating.

On April 9 and 10, fire departments will be scheduling open houses where the public can meet volunteer firefighers, get a tour of the fire hall and see the apparatus that protects our homes and businesses. Hopefully, the events will attract new members — though the hurdles to membership are very high.

I spoke with Rusty Taillon, chief of the Lima Fire Department, about what’s required to be able to ride along on an emergency call. The state now requires firefighters to complete an 86 hour “Firefighter I” course, typically taught over 27 weeks. A lesser certification under consideration in Lima, called “Scene Support,” would allow firefighters to assist certified firefighters, but not directly attack the fire.

“It’s a lot to ask somebody,” Taillon told me. “There are not a lot of young kids in the community sticking around. They’re taking off to college and not coming back.”

Youth “explorer” programs generate interest in high school, but there’s an age gap before people start wanting to help again. Prospective members in their 30s and 40s are often limited by family obligations.

The success of volunteer fire departments depends on a critical mass of available members during times of day when people are often working, or otherwise can’t get away. Mutual aid agreements are crucial — where neighboring fire departments show up to assist. However, Lima’s membership problems are not unique — and even mutual aid arrangements are vulnerable to volunteer shortages.

Open houses are being held at various times; you’ll need to check with your local department to see if and when they’re participating. Lima FD, for instance, is doing their open house April 2 to avoid conflicting with their popular April 9 ham raffle.

Volunteer fire departments offer homeowners tax relief, insurance benefits and create a patchwork of protection no professional countywide service could match. Without committed volunteers continually entering the ranks, this critical service could dwindle away.

If you’ve ever thought it would be interesting to be a firefighter, this is the time to inquire. Your neighbors are counting on you.