Broome County fire departments to hold open houses amid recruitment push
BROOME COUNTY, N.Y. (WBNG)— Several Broome County fire departments will hold open houses Saturday as part of a statewide firefighter recruitment push.
The Broome County Firefighters Association says there are about 900 volunteer firefighters in the county, down from as many as 1,800 about 25 years ago. Many departments are desperate for help.
The open houses are designed to bring in new people and let potential recruits ask questions about the job.
“Most fire departments, when there’s a fire, there’s multiple fire departments being toned out because there just isn’t enough hands on to get the job done as fast as possible, and when we have a working fire, we need as much help as we can get,” said Robert Brady, president of the Broome County Fire Association.
New York State is offering funding assistance to help those interested in becoming firefighters. A $750 stipend is available for the basic firefighter course, and $1,250 for the interior firefighter course.
Brady said there is a variety of roles that need to be filled on a firefighting crew, including people to help attach hoses to hydrants, set up ladders, maintain equipment, and even non-emergency roles like fundraising and website design.
Visit any of the departments listed below from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 18.
| Department | Address |
|---|---|
| Chenango Bridge Fire Co. | 17 Kattelville Rd., Binghamton |
| Conklin Volunteer Fire Department | 1034 Conklin Rd., Conklin |
| Endwell O. L. Davis Fire Co. | 3508 Country Club Rd., Endwell |
| Hillcrest Fire Co. | 1115 Avenue B, Binghamton |
| Port Crane Fire Co. | 35 Port St., Port Crane |
| Triangle Fire Co. | 3621 NY 206, Whitney Point |
| Union Center Fire Co. | St #1- 1811 Union Center-Maine Hwy, Endicott St #2 - 1209 Taft Ave., Endicott |
| Vestal Fire Co. | St#1- 116 North Main St St#2 - 2517 Route 26, St#3 - 2164 Old Owego Rd. St#4- 118 Jensen Rd. |
| West Corners Fire Dept. | 500 Day Hollow Road, Endicott |
| West Endicott Fire Co. | 113 N. Page Ave., Endicott |
| West Windsor Fire Co. | 9 Karla Dr., Windsor |
| Whitney Point Fire Department* | 2665 Main Street, Whitney Point, NY |
*Note: The Whitney Point Fire Department will be open on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Sunday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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