For the fifth consecutive year, Colonie Central High School students were encouraged to answer the call for volunteer firefighters at a RecruitNY event. RecruitNY is an annual campaign designed to increase volunteer firefighter membership across New York State.

Six area fire departments set up their trucks, uniforms, and firefighting equipment along the MUG entrance to encourage students to think about volunteering. Representatives from Midway, Fuller Road, Colonie Village, West Albany, Stanford Heights, and Shaker Road fire departments were all on hand to speak to students in their respective districts about what it’s like to be a volunteer firefighter.

Approximately 20 CCHS students are part of one of our area volunteer fire departments, something fire leaders say is noteworthy. But with a roughly 25% drop in volunteer enrollment in Albany County over the last several years, there’s still a great need for more volunteers. According to FASNY, there are an estimated 40,000 fewer volunteer firefighters now than there were two decades ago.

Midway Assistant Fire Chief and Lisha Kill Middle School social studies teacher Eric Obermayer acknowledges the challenges when it comes to recruiting for a volunteer position. 

“The role of a volunteer firefighter requires a serious time commitment. There are hundreds of hours of training, hundreds of emergency call responses, hundreds of hours attending meetings, community events and all of this for no pay. When recruiting volunteer firefighters, a major challenge is that there are other aspects of life competing for the same time and energy.” 

Even with all that in mind, Obermayer says it’s a calling that’s well worth the sacrifice. 

“The volunteer fire service may offer rewards that money cannot buy or all the time and energy spent was well worth it. That reward is the action of helping someone out in the time of need. People call the fire department when they need help and the fire department is expected to make things better and they do. This action of saving someone's home from danger or performing CPR and bringing someone back to life is a form of gratitude that is immeasurable.” 

Click here for more information about becoming a volunteer firefighter.