PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – It’s a race against time for volunteer fire departments in New York to find solutions to declining recruitment and retention. However, lawmakers and Governor Kathy Hochul say a new state program will provide a financial incentive to people looking to give back to their community.
Roughly $10 million is being set aside for what is known as the first training stipend program. Volunteer firefighters that complete training courses offered by the Office of Fire Prevention and Control would be paid anywhere from $500 to just over $1,200, depending on the course.
It’s a financial lift that North Country democratic Assemblyman Billy Jones says is needed.
“We are having trouble recruiting volunteer fire departments, so we wanted another incentive to recruit people to join the volunteer fire department and training is a big part of that,’ said Assemblyman Jones.
The town of Plattsburgh’s Deputy Chief Scott Ewing believes the program will have an impact.
“People are saying, hey, what are you going to do for me and what is the outcome at the end? With this money Governor Hochul has appropriated for the volunteer fire service, it is going to help us recruit people and hopefully retain them,” said Deputy Chief Ewing.
Ewing’s department is one of five fire departments that are in the town of Plattsburgh, which are all volunteer based. He and Chief Jeff Santor of South Plattsburgh’s fire department say the nature of volunteering has changed over time.
“Everyone is busy with home, family work, life. We have really tried here to take that little amount of time volunteers give us and try to make the most out of it,” said Chief Santor.
But departments are also struggling with retention. Santor says the average age of volunteers in the area is around 45 years old, and believes its time to revisit New York law on paying volunteers.
“Right now there is no mechanism for us to legally pay any of the volunteers, that is rooted in the state’s insurance laws. So, changes to that so we could maybe pay people x-amount of dollars per call,” said Santor.
