New York’s volunteer fire service now has about 80,000 members, down sharply from roughly 120,000 in the early 2000s.
That decline prompted the Firefighters Association of the State of New York to roll out a new statewide plan aimed at recruiting and keeping volunteer firefighters and EMS workers.
FASNY announced the proposal in a recent release, warning that volunteers remain essential to emergency response systems across New York, even if the situation has not yet reached a crisis point.
According to FASNY, New York’s volunteer fire service saves taxpayers about $3.8 billion each year.
A long-term recruitment challenge
FASNY said financial and cultural changes have steadily reduced the number of volunteers over the past two decades.
For more than 10 years, the organization has tried to reverse that trend through programs such as “Train the Recruit” classes and a statewide outreach campaign.
The group said recent partnerships with Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers have already led to new benefits, including training stipends, capital improvement grants, and funding for equipment purchases.
A new legislative push
To build on those efforts, FASNY plans to advance what it calls the Volunteer Optimization Legislative Initiative, or VOLI.
The proposal includes 14 individual actions designed to give volunteer departments more tools to recruit and retain members. FASNY said the measures would apply uniformly across the state and be available to all volunteer departments.
The organization said it looks forward to working with the governor, the Legislature, and the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to turn the proposal into law.
Key proposals outlined
One major piece of the plan would expand the volunteer firefighter and EMS tax credit.
FASNY wants to increase the base tax credit to $800. The proposal also includes a graduated credit of up to $7,500 per year for volunteers who serve on duty crews for shifts of at least four hours.
Another proposal would allow fire companies to reimburse volunteers for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, such as gift cards or gas cards. Those reimbursements would be capped at the federal IRS Form 1099 threshold and exempt from state income tax.
The plan also calls for a new childcare and family inclusion tax credit. That credit would provide up to $5,000 to help cover childcare and daycare costs for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.
Why it matters
FASNY said volunteers remain critical to protecting communities across New York.
The organization argues that stronger financial support and uniform statewide policies could make volunteering more sustainable for families and working adults.
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