ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Volunteer fire departments in the region are facing challenges as their members get older and fewer younger people are signing up. That’s why the Lincoln Fire Department in Walworth has created a recruitment and retention committee.
The committee hosts community events and sends welcome packets to new residents to attract the next generation of volunteers. Dan Frederes, acting chief of the Lincoln Fire Department, said this comes as the number of calls continues to rise.
“Over the last, I’ll say, 20 years. We’re running in the low one hundreds for calls. This year, we’re on pace for over 200 calls,” he said. “So just over, you know, less than two decades, a pretty significant increase in calls. But not the equivalent increase in membership.”
With fewer volunteers available, departments are relying more on nearby fire departments, some of which are also volunteer-based, to help respond to calls.
“We do provide automatic mutual aid to at least 4 or 5 other departments that we border or near us,” Frederes said. “And absolutely, they’re facing the same issues: the aging memberships, struggles, and recruitment. So, it’s a common issue in this area.”
John D’Alessandro, association secretary for the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, said recruiting firefighters often takes collaboration between groups.
“Trying to recruit and retain an adequate number of volunteer firefighters across the state has got to be a partnership between the grassroots, the local departments, the statewide associations like FASNY, and the government of the state of New York,” he said. “The less people have to work and worry about economics, the more that frees them up to become volunteers, hopefully in the volunteer fire service.”
A bill awaiting the governor’s signature would raise the state income tax credit for volunteer firefighters from $200 to $800. The bill passed both the State Senate and State Legislature. D’Alessandro weighed in on the shortage for some departments.
“There’s not a public safety crisis in New York. Are there departments that are struggling? Absolutely. But, you know, you can’t make a blanket statement that, you know, when you need us, we’re not going to be there.” He added, “The hardest thing is to do that first: contact or introduction, to start asking the questions. But, all we’re asking is for folks that may have an interest or may have some time or think they want to help out to just give it a chance, make the contact and start the conversation.”
FASNY does not have an exact number on the average age of volunteers because there are more than 1,800 departments and no reporting requirements. Both Frederes and D’Alessandro said that while departments are looking for younger volunteers to do the heavy lifting, having older, more experienced volunteers as leaders is just as important.
The Lincoln Fire Department holds meetings and training sessions every Monday night and will host a chicken barbecue on Oct. 17, where firefighters will be available to answer questions and give tours.
Fire department in Walworth steps up recruitment to counter aging firefighter force WHEC.com.
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