Copyright 2006 The Hearst Corporation
By DAN HIGGINS
The Times Union (Albany, New York)
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Volunteer firefighters and ambulance crews will get more moral support from Schenectady County, and, lawmakers hope, more financial support, as well.
The Democrat-led County Legislature unveiled Thursday a package of laws and resolutions designed to give incentives to the county’s volunteer emergency workers, with an eye toward reversing declining membership.
The Volunteer Firefighter and Ambulance Corp Volunteer Support Act of 2006 includes proposals that would urge the state Legislature to increase property tax exemptions for volunteers. It would also direct the county to design a uniform policy for its employees who serve as volunteers. Policies on how employees handle emergency calls during working hours now vary among departments.
The act would also:
- Urge the state to enact a cost of living adjustment on death benefits for survivors of those killed on the job.
- Direct the county to study the feasibility of offering discounts to volunteer fire and ambulance workers for certain county services.
- Establish a Distinguished Volunteer Firefighter of the Year award.
- Establish a central point of contact for people wishing to become volunteers.
- Allow departments to establish Web sites through the county’s site.
Legislator Kent Gray, chairman of the county subcommittee that devised the plan, said the incentives were aimed at making recruiting easier.
Volunteers, he said, are strained enough in their own lives, with families and homes to take care of. Add to that increasingly rigorous training requirements for firefighters and ambulance workers, and it’s a recipe for declining numbers.
Right now there are just over 800 volunteer firefighters, fire police, and ambulance personnel spread among Schenectady County’s 24 volunteer fire departments and two volunteer ambulance crews. While there are no hard numbers available, anecdotes from several long-serving fire chiefs suggest that the number of volunteers has declined sharply over the last several decades.
“We used to have 72, and now we’re down to 52,” said John Nuzback, who serves with the Carman Fire Department in Rotterdam. Ten years ago, he said, the department was turning away people who wanted to join, but that’s no longer the case.
Volunteer firefighters and ambulance personnel already get some benefits. Those who live in Schenectady County receive a 10 percent discount on property taxes, up to a maximum benefit of $3,000.
Legislative Chairwoman Susan Savage said the proposal will go before the Committee on Codes, Consumer Affairs, Judiciary and Public Safety next week and will likely be considered by the entire legislature June 13.