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FASNY: More than 500 fire departments have signed up for RecruitNY

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Mon, Apr 11th 2016 12:10 pm

Public invited to FASNY's 6th annual open-house weekend April 23-24

Statewide initiative aims to increase the number of volunteer firefighters in New York

With just under two weeks to go, more than 500 fire departments across New York have now signed up to participate in RecruitNY, which will take place on the weekend of April 23-24. RecruitNY is a major initiative designed to increase membership in volunteer fire departments across the state.

Throughout the weekend, fire department volunteers will conduct tours of their facilities, demonstrate firefighting techniques, allow visitors to try on turnout gear, and provide other activities to give visitors a taste of the fire service. Families and children are welcome. Members will discuss the requirements and rewards of being a volunteer firefighter, and speak with interested visitors about the process of joining their local department. As of today, 511 fire departments from across the state have already committed to participate in "RecruitNY Weekend."

"The RecruitNY campaign continues to inspire residents across New York to consider volunteering with their local fire companies. In recent years, hundreds of fire departments have participated in RecruitNY, and we're confident that even more will take part this year," said Robert McConville, president of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York. "We invite all New Yorkers to visit their local firehouses on April 23 or 24, even if it's just to say 'Hello' to those neighbors who are currently protecting your community. You might just decide to join them as a neighbor helping neighbors, and become a part of a new and very special family: your local volunteer firefighters."

Volunteer firefighters are not only neighbors coming to the aid of their community during emergencies, but they are also saving residents more than $3 billion each year. FASNY recently released its first comprehensive volunteer firefighters economic impact report in more than a decade. The study, which quantifies the value of volunteer firefighters and tax savings throughout the state, concluded the annual cost of a replacement all-career service would be $3.87 billion. This deficit would raise property taxes across New York an estimated average of 26.5 percent. Through the efforts of RecruitNY, volunteer firefighters make the state not only safer, but more affordable for millions of New Yorkers.

Established in 2011, RecruitNY is a joint undertaking by FASNY, the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, 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. 

Area residents looking to find out if a fire department is participating in RecruitNY can visit http://www.recruitny.org/participation-area/ or for more information, contact their local fire departments via a nonemergency phone number or website, or visit www.recruitny.org.

Fire departments that would like to sign up for RecruitNY can log on to www.recruitny.org/signup and fill out the participation form. The program provides fire departments with access to recruitment resources, communication tools, posters, banners, etc., to help a firehouse hold a recruitment open house via http://recruitny.org/resources.php.

Founded in 1872, FASNY represents the interests of approximately 100,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York. For more information, visit www.fasny.com.

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