Being a volunteer Firefighter is something that I always wanted to do growing up. Watching my dad going on calls helping people, going to parades and different events was amazing. When I joined the fire service at the age of 18, it was a big part of my life. It gave me a sense of belonging, something that I could do to give back to the community I lived in.  It gave me a sense of honor and pride.  

I found out that there is more to the fire service than fighting fires. There is fire prevention, auxiliary, search and rescue, divers, pumping the apparatus and more.

They say the fire service is a family and that is so true. Firefighters come from so many different walks of life. They are school teachers, mechanics, farmers, truck drivers, salesmen, lawyers and more. Joining the fire service you meet so many people and form a bond from within the county, state and country. 

Being a volunteer firefighter gives people the opportunity to help serve their community in a meaningful way. We do so much more than just fight fires. Volunteers may respond to a variety of incidents such as car accidents, searching for and rescuing lost hikers, rescuing boaters, public service calls and so much more. This summer our volunteers here in Sullivan County have responded to a large variety of calls.

If fighting fires or rescues is not something you may want to do, there is a job for everyone in the fire service. Many departments are in need of help with fundraising, help with administrative tasks and other types of daily operations. Some volunteers provide scene support at a call. Scene support can include providing beverages and food to help keep firefighters hydrated and nourished when fighting a fire. Another area to help out is Fire Police. They are tasked with helping to keep emergency scenes safe and traffic control.

When you do train to be a volunteer firefighter, you will learn to use the most advanced technology and tools to help keep your community safe. You can start making a real difference right away. Most volunteers say they feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in helping their community, as well as increased confidence in themselves and their abilities as they gain experience and training. 

In most cases you can join at age 16. Some departments in the county have explorer programs where you can start to learn and help out at age 14. Some departments offer scholarships for their members and their community. Other incentives departments may offer include life insurance, length of service awards, fitness and wellness programs. 

Join Sullivan County Fire is a task force that was started in March of 2021. The mission of Join Sullivan Fire is to increase recruitment and retention in the volunteer fire service in Sullivan County, NY. 

Since it launched in April of 2021, Join Sullivan Fire has received over 40 leads. The task force has offered workshops on mentoring new members to help assist departments in the county with retention of members. 

The Task Force is currently working on some other initiatives to help promote recruitment and retention, which they will be rolling out in the near future.

If you are interested or have any questions about joining the volunteer fire service here in Sullivan County, please email us at joinsullivanfire@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages at: www.facebook.com/joinsullivanfire and www.instagram.com/joinsullivanfire.

John Hauschild is the Sullivan County Fire Coordinator. Kauneonga Lake Fire Commissioner and Join Sullivan County Fire Task Force member  Jill Holland contributed info on the task force and recruitment for this piece.