IRVINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PARTICIPATED IN
3RD ANNUAL STATEWIDE "RECRUITNY" WEEKEND TO HELP INCREASE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS

(Irvington, NY) The Irvington Fire Department opened its doors to area residents, as part of the third annual RecruitNY statewide initiative last weekend, so they could learn about what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter in the community. Over the last several years, it has been very tough for many fire departments throughout New York State to recruit and retain volunteers for a variety of reasons. Like most volunteer fire departments, the Irvington Fire Department seeks to bolster its number of emergency responders, so it can continue to provide the optimum level of protection for its residents.

As part of RecruitNY, on Saturday, April 27, the Irvington Fire Department joined volunteer fire departments all across the state at their respective firehouses for a unified recruitment drive, as part of National Volunteer Week 2013. Not only is RecruitNY an opportunity to highlight the duties and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter, it also raises public awareness about the need for volunteers.

Throughout the day, the Irvington Fire Department conducted tours of the station and firefighting apparatus, allowed visitors to try on firefighting gear, and provided activities and stations for visitors, including a demonstration from the Westchester County Police's Arson Investigation dog Daisy, and her handler Ex-Chief John Peters. Several current members were on hand to answer questions, discuss the requirements of being a volunteer, and conduct demonstrations to let visitors know how to get involved with the fire department.

According to Irvington Fire Company President Matt Schaeffer, "We had a great a day, it was a lot of fun, I think we even got a few new recruits!" If you or any one you know are interested in finding out more about the Irvington Fire Department please stop by http://www.irvingtonfd.com/content/recruit/, we'd love to hear from you.

"The goal of RecruitNY is that the collaborative effort among volunteer fire departments statewide will turn the declining number of volunteer firefighters around. RecruitNY is one example of FASNY's key initiatives to recruit and retain volunteers. Over the last year and a half, FASNY has worked exceptionally hard to build and deploy a multi-tiered plan for helping New York State's over 1,700 volunteer fire departments recruit over 15,000 new volunteer firefighters across the state by utilizing federal SAFER grant funds for programs including the "Fire in You" advertising campaign, FASNY HELP community college tuition reimbursement program, and recruitment training classes.

Established in 2011, RecruitNY is a joint undertaking by the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC), Association of Fire Districts of New York State, Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York, and County Fire Coordinators Association of the State of New York. Last year, fire departments in more than 50 counties across the state participated in the first annual RecruitNY weekend."