Fire officials from across New York state were in Albany on Wednesday to call attention to what they say is a “crisis” in volunteer firefighter staffing. Fire chiefs said volunteer numbers are at their lowest level in more than 40 years. It’s why they are asking lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow compensation for mandatory on-duty fire personnel. They said it’s a necessary step to protect residents, firefighters and first responders.”Volunteering is not cheap. These folks burn their own gas running to your emergency in their car, just for example. So helping offset some of that expense that a person lays out is a plus,” Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day said. “Generally speaking, in my experience, people that volunteer are willing to forgo that or overlook it. However, if we need to recruit or recruit additional people because we’re not getting the numbers that we used to from the same avenues, we need to maybe entice them with some financial benefit.”If you would like to volunteer, you can contact your local fire department.

ALBANY, N.Y. —

Fire officials from across New York state were in Albany on Wednesday to call attention to what they say is a “crisis” in volunteer firefighter staffing.

Fire chiefs said volunteer numbers are at their lowest level in more than 40 years. It’s why they are asking lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow compensation for mandatory on-duty fire personnel.

They said it’s a necessary step to protect residents, firefighters and first responders.

“Volunteering is not cheap. These folks burn their own gas running to your emergency in their car, just for example. So helping offset some of that expense that a person lays out is a plus,” Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day said. “Generally speaking, in my experience, people that volunteer are willing to forgo that or overlook it. However, if we need to recruit or recruit additional people because we’re not getting the numbers that we used to from the same avenues, we need to maybe entice them with some financial benefit.”

If you would like to volunteer, you can contact your local fire department.