A majority of New Yorkers believe that volunteer firefighters generate a net savings for local governments, and nearly half expressed interest in signing up, according to a survey released Thursday amid steep declines in the ranks in Nassau County fire departments.
The poll was conducted in mid-January of 1,000 state residents, excluding New York City. The results reveal positive public perceptions of volunteer firefighters and the savings they provide to their respective communities compared to the steep costs of an all-career fire service.
Nearly 30% of those polled identified themselves as current or former Long Island residents or employees. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.
Edward Tase Jr., president of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, which commissioned the poll, said it’s critical to educate the public about the expanded role of volunteer firefighters.
“The volunteer fire service today is not just about putting the wet stuff on the red stuff,” said Tase, a longtime volunteer firefighter in Niagara County. “Volunteer firefighters in our area go out and shovel people out of snowstorms when we get 60 inches of snow in two days … It’s more than just running into burning buildings.”
The state firefighters association will kick off its 15th annual recruitment drive Thursday morning with the official release of the survey findings during a news conference at the Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center in Uniondale.
The survey found strong support for the institution of volunteer firefighting, with just over 80% indicating that the cost savings, which the association estimates to be $4.7 billion annually, had a positive impact on the community.
In addition, 98% of those polled said that volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services are important for the health and safety of their community, and 94% said they looked up to firefighters.
The top descriptions of volunteer firefighters from…
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