New York’s volunteer fire and emergency services are facing a gradual decline in personnel, prompting renewed efforts to recruit and retain volunteers across the state.
The volunteer fire service provides an estimated $3.8 billion in annual savings to taxpayers, but the number of volunteers has dropped from roughly 120,000 in the early 2000s to around 80,000 today.
Officials say the decline has not reached crisis levels, but additional volunteers are needed to maintain emergency response capabilities in communities statewide.
For more than a decade, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has implemented programs aimed at reversing this trend.
These have included “Train the Recruiter” classes and a statewide outreach campaign to attract new volunteers. Partnerships with state officials have also resulted in training stipends, grants for equipment and capital improvements, and other support for local fire departments.
FASNY is now proposing a new package of measures, the “Volunteer Optimization Legislative Initiative” (VOLI), which includes 14 specific actions designed to strengthen recruitment and retention statewide.
Key components include expanding tax credits for volunteer service, providing childcare and housing support, offering workplace protections and employer incentives, and ensuring volunteers can access public service loan forgiveness and tuition assistance.
Other provisions would allow local stipends, property tax exemptions, and rewards for on-call service, while ensuring that career firefighters are not restricted from volunteering in their communities.
Officials say VOLI is designed to provide consistent benefits and incentives to volunteers across New York, helping departments maintain staffing levels and keep emergency response services available to the public.
Legislative approval will be required to put these proposals into effect.
The initiative reflects ongoing efforts to sustain New York’s volunteer fire and EMS services, which continue to play a vital role in protecting communities and supporting public safety throughout the state.