The annual effort to boost the number of volunteer firefighters starts this weekend. According to RecruitNY, volunteer fire organizations have added thousands of members through the initiative, but they still need more.
“I urge everyone, everyone out there in our community, in our communities, to reach out to their local fire service to see what they can do, what they can help,” said Jeff Belczak, the assistant chief of the North West Fire District.
According to the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, there are roughly 80,000 volunteer firefighters across the state, but that number pales in comparison to what it was 20 years ago.
“More than two decades ago, there were approximately 40,000 more volunteer firefighters in the state than there are today,” explained Jon Barret, the assistant chief of the Cicero Fire Department.
But what’s causing these numbers to go down? In a world where time is money — and in a country that may be falling into a recession — the thought of unpaid labor can be a turnoff.
“Anybody that wants to join, the best step is to have that sense of pride and dedication to your community,” Belczak said. “Because at the end of the day, you’re not gonna get paid for your services.”
Belczak said that sense of pride and dedication was instilled in him by generations of firefighters that came before him, sharing stories of their impact on the community.
“My dad is a firefighter; my mom was a lieutenant in the ambulance squad; my grandfather and all my uncles have been fire chiefs in the fire service," he said.
First-generation volunteers like Ashley Diablo hope to inspire the next generation with stories of their own.
“I get to go home and tell my children that 'mommy saved a life,' 'mommy put out a car fire,' ” said Diablo. “And my kids are very inspired by that."
A list of local fire departments sponsoring recruitment events this weekend can be found here.
