Amid a shrinking number of volunteers, the Harrison Fire Department joined other departments throughout New York state in opening its doors to residents on Sunday, April 24 for its sixth annual volunteer recruitment drive.
According to Harrison Assistant Fire Chief Vincent Straface, there are currently 60 volunteer members in the Harrison ranks, however only 30 to 40 are active firefighters that are allowed to enter compromised structures. The town/village of Harrison has an additional 12 professional firefighters currently on its payroll, which breaks down to shifts of only three members at a time. The number of volunteers who respond to emergency calls, a necessary supplement to the professional staff, depends on the time of day.
“Over the last several years, it has been tough for many fire departments throughout New York state to recruit and retain volunteers,” Straface said. “Like most volunteer fire departments, the Harrison Fire Department needs to bolster its emergency responder numbers so it can continue to provide the optimum level of protection for its residents.”
Straface organized the family-friendly recruitment event in conjunction with The Fireman’s Association of the State of New York, FASNY, with a goal of bringing the community and emergency service providers together.
“It’s important for the community to connect with the emergency services and foster that relationship,” Straface said. “We rely on the community, and the community relies on us.”
Throughout the day, volunteer members of the Harrison Fire Department conducted tours of the station on Harrison Avenue and equipment, and led other hands-on activities and demonstrations. Some highlights from the afternoon included a vehicle extrication demonstration, carnival games for kids and rides around downtown Harrison on an engine truck with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
“This was a complete blowout in terms of numbers,” Straface said, estimating between 600 to 800 people in attendance throughout the afternoon.
To round out the event, representatives from FEMA’s PepareAthon, a federally sponsored nationwide grassroots program to increase community preparedness and resilience, as well as ConEdison operated booths and shared information with citizens.
At the end of the event, the department netted three volunteer applications and expects more in the days to come.
“We really want to encourage volunteerism,” Straface said. “We want to encourage people in the community who really want to give back and can find the time to do it to contact us.”
Enrollment as a volunteer in the Harrison Fire Department is always open. For additional information, visit harrisonfd.org.
