SAYVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PARTICIPATE IN 5TH ANNUAL STATEWIDE “RECRUIT NY” WEEKEND TO HELP INCREASE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS |
By Ex-Chief Thomas Pantano | |
April 21, 2015 | |
RECRUITMENT OPEN HOUSE to be held at the Sayville Fire Department As part of Recruit NY, on Sunday, April 26 between 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM, the Sayville Fire Department located at # 107 North Main St., corner of Lincoln Ave. will join volunteer fire departments all across the state at their respective firehouses for a unified recruitment drive. Not only will Recruit NY be an opportunity to highlight the rewards and responsibilities that come with being a volunteer firefighter, it will also raise public awareness about the need for volunteers. Throughout the day, the Sayville Fire Department will conduct tours of the station and firefighter apparatus, allow visitors to try on firefighter gear, and provide activities and fascinating informational opportunities throughout the firehouse for visitors. The fire department will discuss the requirements to be a volunteer, as well as conduct demonstrations, answer questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department. Last year, more than 500 fire departments in 55 counties across the state held recruitment open houses. FASNY is hoping for an even higher turnout this year. “Come on out and join us for this unique recruitment day at our firehouse,” said Chief of Department Christopher R. Chester. “This is a great opportunity for our neighbors to observe the exciting tasks of a firefighter. Our current members love what they do; they are everyday heroes who help neighbors in need. We hope our recruitment day will inspire other area residents to join our fire service family.” The goal of Recruit NY is that the collaborative effort among volunteer fire departments statewide will help increase the number of volunteer firefighters. Recruit NY is one example of FASNY’s key initiatives to recruit and retain volunteers. Over the past couple of years, FASNY has worked exceptionally hard to build and deploy a multi-tiered plan for helping New York State’s more than 1,700 volunteer fire departments recruit more than 15,000 new volunteer firefighters across the state by utilizing federal SAFER grant funds for programs including the “Fire in You” advertising campaign, FASNY HELP community college tuition reimbursement program, and recruitment training classes. Established in 2011, Recruit NY is a joint undertaking by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC), Association |
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