ALBANY, N.Y. — Fire officials are set to speak in Albany on Wednesday over what they’re calling a public safety crisis due to a decrease in people volunteering at fire departments in New York State.
Organizers say volunteer firefighter numbers have fallen to their lowest level in more than 40 years. News10NBC has covered volunteer shortages for years, recently speaking to Spencerport Fire District leaders, who said its membership is 20% to 30% below what’s expected. We also spoke with Brockport Fire District leaders, who aren’t struggling with recruiting, but with having enough staff to train new volunteers.
Fire commissioners, chiefs, and firefighters are holding Wednesday’s news conference, which begins at 10:30 a.m. They’re calling on the New York State Legislature to pass legislation providing nominal compensation for mandatory, on-duty fire personnel staffing firehouses.
Organizers say nearly half a dozen firehouses across the state shut down last year because of a lack of volunteers. Fire officials also say there have been “alarming incidents” in which fire companies have gone unmanned because of a lack of volunteer staffing.
More coverage of volunteer shortages:
- How the Chili Fire Department’s teen program is shaping future emergency responders
- Honeoye Falls hires firefighters after volunteer shortage, aiming for quicker response times
- Rush Fire Department to continue operating its own EMS through end of year after heated public meeting
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