COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Albany County fire stations say there is a critical need for volunteers. In recent years, they’ve seen an enrollment drop by 25%. Yet, a recruitment effort at a local high school brought the chance for students to spend a day in their boots. Students tried on gear, ran obstacles, and learned what it takes to be the next generation of first responders.
“You get to serve something bigger than yourself,” said James Sullivan, a volunteer with Shaker Road Fire Department, who started at 14 years old. “This is not a self-serving job at all. But you gain so much out of it that you might think it’s a self-serving job.”
For Sullivan, the tangible skills he’s learned, from incident command, to CPR, are critical tools he can carry into his life outside of the department. However, it’s the connections he has made there that are worth more than anything.
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“I was kind of lonely, in a new school, so I joined and I made a bunch of friends and it’s a great sense of community,” Sullivan added. “People say you can’t choose your family, but I think you can.”…