Training volunteer fire recruits in Monroe County is on hold for now, because the state money the county gets to pay for the training has run out for the year. More recruits and more firefighters getting specialized training is the reason.
These days, firefighting is more than just fighting fires.
"We have more service demands requests coming in, elderly population, EMS increase response, hazardous materials," says Gates-Chili Fire Chief Jim Harrington.
To meet those demands, many departments rely on volunteers. But it's not as easy as just signing up.
Seven volunteer recruits in the Gates-Chili Fire Department can't get their training right now. The state money used to pay for the training has run out.
The state allocated 1,100 hours of training for Monroe County this year. More money won't come from the state until the new budget is approved in April or later.
"When you have delays in classes like this, it just delays everything. It's like a domino effect," says Gates-Chili Fire Department Lietenant Gary Finlayson.
Countywide, there are about 80 volunteer recruits waiting for training. Fire departments say the recruits are needed to replace the high turnover of volunteers, usually every three or five years. The recruits will now have to wait until summer or fall for the training. Specialized training like vehicle extrication, the kind used in the 390 pileup recently, is also on hold.
"With the amount of interstate we cover, that type of training we need to have on a regular basis out here," says Chief Harrington.
Monroe County's fire coordinator says he would like to see a new way of allocating the money and hours to each county. He prefers a lump sump at the start of the year, that way each county knows what they have to work with towards the end of the year.
Former Rochester Fire Chief Floyd Madison now heads the New York State Fire Prevention and Control Office. He says because of the increased demand in Monroe County, the county will get more training hours in the new budget, 1,400 hours.
"We're overspent this year because demand is increasing. Demand continues to increase, we try to meet as much as that demand as possible," says Madison.
Firefighters know nothing is guaranteed in Albany and budgets are rarely approved on time. A fear public safety could pay the price, especially in smaller fire districts.
"They may have some issues with personal and staffing, it could have a detrimental impact on them," says Chief Harrington.
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