It has come to our attention that the association representing volunteer firefighters in New York continues to misrepresent the costs, professionalism and services associated with the professional fire service. The group is advocating for a bill that would allocate even more taxpayer dollars to lure potential volunteer firefighters into joining local companies.
The New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association and our individual locals whose ranks are supplemented with volunteers primarily enjoy good working relationships with the volunteers. But make no mistake, the level of service, availability, training, skill and experience of a professional firefighter cannot be duplicated with volunteers.
Further, How can a group that claims it represents 100,000 volunteers suggest they have a shortage? Perhaps it’s because many of those volunteer rosters include retirees, social members, inactive or infirm residents or men and women who are not certified to enter a burning building.
People are mistaken if they think the solution to solving a volunteer shortage is to throw money at potential recruits that either lack the motivation or desire to enter our kind of work. Those tax dollars should be used to create a staff of women and men who actually aspire to become professional firefighters.