UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The steep decline in the number of volunteer firefighters is causing concern over critical response time.
There was a big push Thursday to replenish the ranks.
“They won’t remember our names, but they will remember we showed up that night,” Regina Cabrera said.
Cabrera is a Long Island volunteer firefighter who’s passionate about her overwhelming emotion every time she’s called to help. She’s reaching out to other women and minorities to consider joining the ranks.
“I have a social life. I go to church. I have a 9-5. I do a lot. But why not push yourself to do something? You don’t know what you’re capable of until you try,” Cabrera said.
There are 179 fire departments on Long Island. All but two are volunteer .
“Neighbors helping neighbors. I think that’s one of the greatest things I could say. We are all neighbors helping neighbors in the fire service,” Donald Corkery, president of the New York State Association of Fire Districts, said.