"The New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association (NYSPFFA) strongly opposes any plan to implement nominal pay for volunteer firefighters. There are fundamental issues with the notion of nominal pay that will not fix the fire service in a meaningful way.
The most effective way to ensure that a community has adequate fire protection service is through a fully staffed and trained fire department that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to fires and other emergencies.
NYSPFFA believes that the state should continue to transition toward combination departments staffed by both paid firefighters and trained volunteers. It is a proven model that works successfully throughout New York State.
We need to have a viable plan to address fire protection in the state, and to do so, all stakeholders need to be at the table. The state cannot continue to allocate funding and resources in an attempt to increase volunteer firefighter ranks without a long-term plan or solution.
We stand ready to work with the Governor and Legislature on ways to bolster fire service in New York State."