Lewiston Fire Co. No. 1 'always looking for volunteers'

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

At Monday’s Village of Lewiston board meeting, Lewiston Fire Co. No. 1 EMS volunteer Kevin Krueger reminded the community, “We're always looking for volunteers.”

“I just went to Lew-Port the other day, and I sat with some of the seniors and explained to them we're looking for any volunteers – of any time that you may be able to give up,” he said.

“Lewiston 1 is all volunteers. We’re very shorthanded for volunteers. … It's just something that our community really, really needs,” Krueger emphasized.

He noted the fire company had more than 1,200 calls last year.

“For us to be able to show up in someone's home – morning, noon and night, middle of the night – we just need more people, to not wear out the people that are doing it all the time,” Krueger said.

“If you're interested, give myself (or) anybody at the Lewiston 1 firehall a call. I'd be happy to sit down and explain. And if it's not for you, there's no pressure. If you try it for a year, six months to a year, and you don't like it, that's OK, too.”

Those interested in volunteering can fill out an online application at www.lfd1.com, and drop it off or mail it to the firehall at 145 N. Sixth St. For more information, call 716-754-4487, Ext. 201.

For students – and Krueger specifically mentioned those studying nursing or criminal justice – “It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “We work with Lewiston police on a lot of the different calls, and it's nice just having the friendships, the knowledge of who you're arriving on scene with. It's great for their college applications.”

Krueger noted the need for volunteers is even greater now than when he made a similar pitch in 2024.

“When I talked to you guys last year, we had gone from 38 EMTs to like the low 20s. Well, we're a little bit less than that. I'm not going to say how low, because it fluctuates; but I'm sure we're under 20 for EMTs right now,” he said.

“There are some young kids from Lew-Port High that have just gone through the EMT program. Some have gone through the advanced EMT program. They’re either juniors, seniors, or just graduated, that have really stepped up a lot. … These kids are just amazing. They're really great volunteers that we've just gotten. That's what I'm looking for.”

Lewiston Fire Co. No. 1 EMS volunteer Kevin Krueger addresses the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees.

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Mayor Anne Welch said, “Kevin, I know the fire company usually has like an open house, during the year, where people can go in and check out the fire department. Do you think it would be beneficial if you had kind of a presentation – ‘This is what we're about. This is what we do’ – to get people in and interested in helping? I mean, maybe instead of just a walk-thru at the fire department when you have your open house, maybe have some kind of a presentation to say, ‘This is all we do, and we'd like you to be a part of it,’ something like that, to try to get them in.”

Krueger noted that idea, and said Lewiston No. 1 also would seek to have a greater presence at Lewiston festivals this summer.

“It’s going to really be an opportunity for people to ask questions,” he said.

“Maybe they're a little intimidated by the thought that it is too much time away from their families and their work life and all that stuff,” Krueger said. “Of course, there's time that you're taking away from the families, but you're paying it back. …

“I get it when people say, ‘I don't have time.’ But if you've got the time, or if you think you've got the time, you’re helping out your community. You’re giving back to your community. There's not enough of that anymore.”

Welch said, “It's great for the community. Everybody says, ‘Oh, we love the fire company,’ but it's kind of like out of sight, out of mind.

“You're just always there if somebody needs you. Maybe the younger people would step up and say, ‘Yeah, we want to be part of that.’ ”

“It's doable,” Krueger said. “We can work around your schedule.”

Board report

At Monday’s monthly meeting, trustees approved these motions:

•A request made by Inter-Community Services Inc. to collect both monetary and food donations at the main entrance of Artpark and the entrance by Syros on June 6, 18 and 24; July 5, 17 and 29; Aug. 1, 8, 13, 24 and 27; and Sept. 21.

•A request from the Boy Scouts of America Troop 855 to place U.S. flags at Center Street intersections from Fourth to Ninth streets ahead of Memorial Day weekend. The Village of Lewiston will provide a budgeted $298.40 for Scouts to purchase 25 flags, six flagpoles and four brackets.