New York’s new $10 million Volunteer Firefighter Training Stipend program paid out its first $140,250 to a total of 105 students from more than 50 fire departments statewide. Initially included as part of the FY24 Enacted Budget, the program seeks to strengthen the volunteer fire service by offsetting the costs of required training, making it easier for new recruits to join volunteer fire departments and help protect their communities.
Approximately nine million New Yorkers, nearly half of the state’s population, are served by volunteer firefighters. Yet in recent years, more than 75 percent of these departments have reported a decrease in the number of individuals willing to volunteer and serve. This is further compounded by the increased operational responsibilities beyond fire protection to include vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous material spills, and weather-related rescue operations. At the same time, calls for service have increased by 29 percent from 1997 to 2020.
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) will administer the stipend to volunteer firefighters for completion of the following training courses completed on or after August 31, 2023.
Fire Departments in Yates, Schuyler, and Tompkins counties each received funding:
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