ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WHO IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE STIPENDS RANGING FROM $500 TO $1200 FOR COMPLETING VOLUNTEER TRAINING COURSES. 

THIS WEEK THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCEd THE LAUNCH TO THE STATE’S FIRST EVER STIPEND PROGRAM FOR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS—INCLUDING $10 million IN THE STATE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE.  

SOME LAWMAKERS SAid VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ARE SIGNIFICANT TO SMALL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE—SUCH AS THE SOUTHERN TIER--AND THIS STIPEND WILL HELP ATTRACT MORE VOLUNTEERS.  

“This could really be a key point in helping to recruit those volunteers who are so desperately needed, so often they are the heroes of our towns and villages,” said Assembly Member Patricia Fahy (D-Assembly District 109).

TIM SWEENEY, A LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER WITH THE SOUTHPORT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, SAid HIS COMMUNITY CAN’T AFFORD TO HAVE A FULL PAID FIREFIGHTER STAFF, MAKING VOLUNTEERS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.  

“Volunteers are a huge need. They are a great tax relief for the community that we all live in and there’s genuine people that are out there wanting to help people in their worst times of need,” Sweeney said.

CURRENTLY NEW YORK STATE PAYS FOR BASIC TRAININGS BUT OUTSIDE TRAININGS FOR MORE SPECIALIZED SKILLS SUCH AS SWIFT WATER RESCUE, AND FLASH OVER TRAINING COME OUT OF THE POCKETS OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND SOMETIMES THEIR MEMBERS.  

THE FEES FOR OUTSIDE TRAININGS CAN RANGE FROM $50 to $400 DOLLARS A CLASS.  

SWEENEY SAid WHILE THEIR DEPARTMENT BUDGETS FOR THIS SO IT DOESN’T FALL ON MEMBERS, THE STIPEND PROGRAM COULD HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE FEES for individual members. 

THE STIPEND WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE OFFICE OF FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS FOR COMPLETING TRAINING COURSES ON OR AFTER AUG. 31 OF LAST YEAR.