RECRUIT NY TAKES CENTER STAGE AT CAPITOL

RECRUIT NY TAKES CENTER STAGE AT CAPITOL

Serino Stands with Volunteer Firefighters to Highlight Need

ALBANY, NY—State Senator Sue Serino (R, C, I—Hyde Park) today joined Senators Kathy Marchione and Tom O’Mara; John D’Alessandro, Secretary for the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY); David Quinn, Chief Administrative Officer for FASNY and local volunteer firefighters to highlight the importance of recruiting volunteers and to announce that $250,000 was secured in this year’s State Budget to bolster recruitment efforts.

“Our volunteer firefighters lay their lives on the line for our safety without asking for a dime,” Said Senator Serino. “They embody what it means to be a hero and we need to be doing all that we can to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to recruit and maintain their volunteers.”

Earlier this month, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) released a report in which they estimate that New York’s 100,000 volunteer firefighters save the state’s taxpayers over $3 billion each year. The report notes that if the volunteer force were to be converted to a paid force, property taxpayers would be on the hook for a increase between 3.3 and 123 percent, with the average increase being 26.5 percent.

Today’s press conference kick-offed FASNY’s annual “Recruit NY” weekend, a successful initiative that promotes the recruitment of new volunteer firefighters by engaging fire departments across the state. On April 23^rd and 24^th, fire departments across the 41^st Senate District will host open house events in an effort to share their work with the community and attract new volunteers.

“As representatives, we need to be doing all that we can to recruit and maintain our volunteers,” said Senator Serino who carries a bill aimed at incentivizing volunteers by providing them with a tax credit on their hunting and fishing licenses (S. 6690A) and co-sponsors a bill that would provide them an income tax-credit up to $1,200 (S. 1831A). “The ‘Recruit NY’ event is a great way for community members to get involved and see first-hand what a critical role they can play by getting involved as a volunteer firefighter. With events lined up across Dutchess and Putnam Counties, we hope that even more will be inspired to serve.”

Senator Serino concluded by thanking the volunteers in her community and across the state, “While words are hardly enough to express our gratitude to our volunteer firefighters who play a critical role in the fabric of our communities, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your service.”

To find a ‘Recruit NY’ event near you, visit www.recruitny.org.

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