Latest news with #SouthportVolunteerFireDepartment
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Free emergency preparedness training coming to Southport
SOUTHPORT, N.Y. (WETM) — With severe weather events on the rise, emergency preparedness is more important than ever. In response, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's Office has announced a free in-person training session to help Chemung County residents get ready for any type of disaster. The session will be hosted by the Southport Volunteer Fire Department in partnership with the New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program, announced in a release on Friday, May 2, from the Chemung County Executive's Office. Looking to dispose of household hazards? Chemung County hazardous waste collection coming in May It will take place on Wednesday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at the Southport Volunteer Fire Department located at 1001 Carl St in Elmira. According to the release, the program will show people how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from both natural and man-made disasters. Topics include building a family emergency plan, the release said, identifying the most likely threats of disaster subject to the area, and putting together an emergency supply kit. New computer room to open at Steele Memorial Library Each household that attends will receive a free Citizens Preparedness Kit to support the upkeep and development of their emergency preparedness plan. Registration is required; people can sign up by visiting This training is part of a statewide initiative to help New Yorkers protect themselves, their families, and the community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Firefighters wanted: Weekend event to highlight importance, rewards of volunteering
They are on call day and night, they require extensive training, and they could find themselves in a life-or-death situation at any moment. And they do it all for free. Volunteer firefighters are a critical part of the emergency response community, and officials in the fire service agree recruiting and keeping qualified people is a major challenge. That's why many local volunteer fire departments this weekend are holding open house events as part of RecruitNY, an annual statewide recruitment effort coordinated by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY). Several Chemung County fire chiefs and other local officials gathered at the Southport Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday to highlight the effort, and the importance and rewards of volunteering. "Volunteer firefighters save taxpayers billions of dollars annually in reduced property taxes, and preservation of life and property," said longtime Southport Volunteer Fire Department member Michael S. Smith, who is also a publicity representative for FASNY. "There's a job for everybody. It's not just about fighting fires," Smith said. "You can get a $200 tax credit from New York state if you're a volunteer. Chemung County offers property tax exemptions for firefighters. Volunteering can also lead to employment opportunities." There are currently about 80,000 volunteer firefighters serving communities across New York state, a drop of about 40,000 from 20 years ago, according to FASNY. At the same time, the association said many volunteer departments are seeing an increase in service calls. About 90% of fire departments statewide are volunteer-based, FASNY said. Chemung County legislator Rodney Strange, whose 15th district includes four volunteer fire departments, said local departments have been hit by those declining numbers. "It's very important we recruit more firefighters. Many departments have single-digit volunteer numbers," said Strange, who added this weekend's events will give people who are interested in volunteering, or in supporting their local fire departments in other ways, a closer look at what volunteer fire service is all about. County legislature Chairman Mark Margeson said he had several firefighting volunteers in his family and said the community needs to understand the importance of the services they provide. "I donate to firefighters and I'm always supporting them," Margeson said. "We need to get back to that and invest in it." Public safety Former Bradford County DA granted parole after serving 3 years for promoting prostitution There are several reasons it's harder to recruit and retain firefighters these days, said Smith, who was also Chemung County's emergency management director for several years. There are many more activities to keep people busy, and fewer manufacturing businesses that run second and third shifts, which often left many people available to volunteer during the day, he said. Whatever the reasons, it's crucial to recognize the value of volunteer firefighters and reverse that trend, Smith said. "It's about helping neighbors," he said. "When that siren blows, there are men and women here in our community who are willing to drop what they are doing and respond to help neighbors — all at no cost. They get no pay." Even departments that aren't holding special RecruitNY events this weekend are happy to welcome visitors, Smith added. For a list of volunteer fire departments that are holding open houses and other special events this weekend, go to "Local volunteer firefighters and emergency workers are the backbone of rural communities, but unfortunately, over the past couple of decades, they have seen their numbers dwindle, with some stations even having to shut down," said Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning). "This is why the RecruitNY weekend is so important, we need to make people aware of the opportunities available to them in the firehouse." Follow Jeff Murray on X (Twitter) @SGJeffMurray. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Chemung County fire departments holding weekend recruitment drive
