Volunteer fire departments across Onondaga County have far fewer people in their ranks to respond to emergencies than they did 20 years ago. Dozens of departments are throwing open their doors this weekend in a state-wide effort to boost membership.
Nearly 90 percent of fire departments in New York are volunteer, and they’re staffed by 80,000 responders. But that number is about 40,000 less than it was two decades ago. Tom Perkins is chief emeritus of the Baldwinsville Fire Department and has been an active member for more than 60 years. He says he’s seen the change in staffing and how it impacts their response.
“We're getting the first rig out, but what about the second rig and the third rig that we might need?" Perkins said. "Probably 90% of our alarms we can handle with one truck, but you don't know that. So we're responding from three or four stations to make sure that we're making that coverage.”
Perkins says they're responding to far more medical emergencies than fires.
The volunteer fire service is usually a family tradition, with children following the steps of their fathers. That was the case for Perkins in the 1960’s, and was also why Christine Goldman joined the North West Fire District three years ago. She says she was reluctant at first.
“It's always seemed like a guys club. With my dad, he was always in the guys club, so I was a little hesitant with that," Goldman said. "But I was very immediately welcomed by everyone. Yes, we want female firefighters; that's the next generation. We've got to pull in both men and women to get into the fire service.”
Goldman has amassed more than 300 hours of training as a state-approved interior firefighter and certified EMT. But the training requirements and time needed to complete them can seem daunting to a prospective volunteer and might be a barrier to joining. Nedrow Fire Chief Rick Nemier says it’s all necessary, especially since more new recruits have no experience.
“We cannot put those people in harm's way. They need to be trained and the average firefighter training is 3 to 6 months," Nemier said. "We have to take those individuals and put them through the paces and as chief, I have to be able to say I feel comfortable with putting that person into a dangerous situation.”
Volunteer firefighters both young and old say tradition, camaraderie, and sense of purpose are what motivate them. North West Fire District Assistant Chief Jeff Belczak says it's about what he can give back to his community.
"We do not get paid. But I can tell you for me it makes me feel better knowing that last night we just saved somebody last night with our ambulance crew."
More information about the statewide recruitment effort, including which departments are participating with open houses and demonstrations, can be found here.
