BECOME A NANUET VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER TODAY!

The Nanuet Fire Department has been faced with decreased membership and increased call volumes over the past several years. Like most Volunteer Fire Departments in Rockland County, the Nanuet Fire Department needs to bolster its ranks so it can continue to provide the optimum level of fire protection to our community.

We are currently recruiting residents to become Volunteer Firefighters. No experience is necessary as we will train you to become one of Nanuet’s Bravest! This is your chance to make a difference in your community and get involved in something rewarding. Volunteer Firefighters offer one of the only public safety services that directly impacts the community, where we tirelessly protect our families, neighbors, and friends.

To be eligible for membership, you must be at least sixteen (16) years of age, have a valid NYS drivers license, be physically fit, and reside within the Nanuet Fire District. Upon acceptance into membership, new members will  be required to complete the New York State BEFO and IFO training courses, attend weekly drills and training, and maintain 25% of all activities.

If you are interested in joining, please complete and submit the online application and background check. Links to both of these forms are provided below. Once we receive these forms, a member of the membership committee will contact you. Help us and your community by becoming a Nanuet Volunteer Firefighter today!

ONLINE APPLICATION          BACKGROUND CHECK

Nanuet Fire Department (Ages 16 & Older)

The Nanuet Fire Department is always looking for new members, starting at age 16. If you are interested in becoming a member, the first step is to fill out the online application and background check or stop by the firehouse at 29 Old Middletown Road on any Monday evening between the hours of 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. For more information call the Membership Committee at (845) 406-0570.

Rockland County Fire Explorers Post (Ages 14 – 21)

Are you interested in the fire service and ready to learn firefighting basics? If so, the Rockland County Explorers Post 44 is looking for you. Firefighting gear and uniforms are provided. All you need is your willingness to learn. The Explorers meet on two Sundays a month from 6:00PM to 9:00PM at the Rockland County Fire Training Center. You will receive both hands on and classroom training. This is a great program to get you ready to become a member of the Nanuet Fire Department. For more information call Mike Conklin at (845) 359-8595 or contact the Rockland County Fire Training Center at (845) 364-8800.

Rockland County Youth Academy (Ages 12 - 15)

If you are considering in becoming a volunteer firefighter, we have an exciting opportunity for you. The Rockland County Fire Youth Academy is open to all students from ages 12 through 15 who reside in Rockland County. The youth academy is designed to provide the participant with an introduction to the fire and emergency services and the program is based on the National (FEMA) Student Emergency Response Team (SERT). The youth academy is not designed to provide all the training necessary to prepare the participant to become a volunteer firefighter. This program will give the participant an overview of the many hours of classroom and hands-on-training before an individual can respond to emergencies in our communities. In this class the participant will learn about fire extinguishment, removing trapped victims from automobile accidents, and many other functions performed by our Rockland County Emergency Services. Many of the academy sessions will include hands-on-training, incident scenarios along with classroom lectures. The class size will be limited to 25 participants so each participant can receive the optimum training experience. During the entire program stringent safety procedures will be followed to ensure the safety of the participants; so we can provide the participant with a safe and rewarding educational experience. The Youth Academy meets at the Rockland County Fire Training Center. If you are interested please call the Fire Training Center at (845) 364-8800 for more information.

~  ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE STUDENTS ~

~ VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FACTS ~

 Replacing all volunteer firefighters in New York State with paid firefighters would cost an estimated $4.7 billion dollars annually. This includes the cost of hiring 31,058 additional career firefighters, plus their salaries, benefits, and operational expenses. There would also be a one-time cost of $8.17 billion for acquiring existing fire stations, fire apparatus, support vehicles, and equipment. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Annual Cost - The $4.7 billion covers the cost of hiring and supporting a full-time, paid fire service. 

• One-Time Infrastructure Costs - The $8.17 billion is for acquiring existing fire stations and equipment. This includes Firehouses/Structures at $4.86 billion and Vehicles and Equipment at $3.31 billion. 

• Impact on Property Taxes - If New York were to switch to a fully paid fire service, local government property taxes would increase by an average of 28.4%. This increase could range from 5.8% to 133.8% depending on the county. 

• Volunteer Firefighters' Contribution - Volunteer firefighters in New York save taxpayers an estimated $4.7 billion annually by eliminating the need for a fully paid force. 

There are approximately 80,000 volunteer firefighters in New York State. This represents a significant number of individuals dedicated to serving their communities and protecting lives and property. 90.7% of the fire departments in New York State are volunteer, making them a crucial part of the state's firefighting force. 

There are approximately 3,500 volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in Rockland County. Rockland County has 26 volunteer fire departments and 14 volunteer ambulance corps. All 26 fire departments in the county are 100% volunteer.

The number of volunteer firefighters has declined dramatically over the past several years. Major factors contributing to the decline include:

• Increased time demands to be a firefighter due to increased training requirements, increasing call volumes, and a wider variety of services expected of fire departments.
• Less time available for individuals to volunteer due to factors such as the increase of two-income families and longer commuting distances to work.
• Change in attitudes among the public such as less focus on volunteering, loss of community pride or feeling that one should give back, employers less willing to let employees leave work to respond to calls

While the number of volunteer firefighters is declining, the age of volunteer firefighters is increasing. The average age of a volunteer firefighter in New York State is 50 years of age.

Fire department call volumes have nearly doubled in the last 10 years, mainly due to a sharp increase in the number of false alarms and a wider variety of services expected of fire departments. 

ONLINE APPLICATION          BACKGROUND CHECK