WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — Volunteer fire departments across New York have hit a 40-year low in membership, prompting renewed efforts to boost recruitment, retention, and call on state lawmakers to take a serious look at the problem.
The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) kicked off its annual drive Tuesday at the Frontier Volunteer Fire Department in Wheatfield.
At the center of the push is a newly proposed piece of state legislation that would provide “nominal compensation” to volunteer firefighters, potentially amounting to 20% of a professional firefighter’s salary in the area, according to Ed Tase, a past-President of FASNY…