EMFD to Hold Volunteer Recruitment Open Houses

East Meadow Fire District residents aged 18 and older interested in becoming volunteer firefighters or emergency medical service providers can learn more at a Recruitment Open House on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at firehouses throughout the community. The event is coordinated with RecruitNY, a joint effort of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, organizations dedicated to addressing the declining number of volunteers statewide.

Volunteer fire departments across the state are struggling to attract and maintain new members, and East Meadow, like many communities on Long Island, is no exception. Between 1998 and 2021, the number of volunteer firefighters across the state dropped by 32 percent from 110,000 to 75,000. However, during the same period, the number of calls for service increased by 29 percent.

“Increased demand for services, especially for our emergency medical squad, is placing a tremendous strain on our ability to provide critical and essential public-safety services for our residents,” stated Commissioner John J. Priest, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners. “We encourage any resident considering joining the fire department to come to an open house, talk to our members, and learn about the rewards and satisfaction of helping the community.”

At the open houses, volunteers from the East Meadow Fire Department’s various companies will conduct tours of the fire stations, where fire, rescue and emergency medical equipment will be displayed. In addition, personnel will be on hand to discuss the requirements for becoming a volunteer and explain the numerous benefits of volunteering. The East Meadow Fire Department covers East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury (Salisbury)

Among the benefits of volunteering are local property-tax exemptions and state-income-tax advantages. In addition, the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management provides a scholarship for full- and part-time students attending Nassau Community College. Under the scholarship program, volunteer EMS and firefighters can qualify for assistance if they maintain active membership in good standing in one of Nassau County’s fire departments. Maintaining certain academic standards is also required. There are also free training and health checkups and a length of service award program, which provides a monthly stipend based on years of volunteer service and other criteria.

“Being part of a family of community-minded people performing an important role has many rewards,” added Commissioner William J. Neill, Vice Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, who also noted that the training and experience gained from volunteering can lead to a professional, paid career in the emergency services field.

For more information, please call 516-542-4565, or visit www.eastmeadowfd.com and click the “Join the EMFD” link. Additional information and resources can also be found at www.recruitny.org.

Interested men and women can attend the open houses on Saturday, April 22, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at any of the following EMFD locations:

• Fire Headquarters, 197 East Meadow Avenue, at Front Street, East Meadow
• Station #1, 346 East Meadow Avenue, near Franklin Avenue, East Meadow
• Station #2, 590 East Meadow Avenue and Park Avenue, East Meadow
• Station #3, 350 North Newbridge Road and Salisbury Park Drive, Levittown
• Station #4, 3 Bob Reed Lane and Carman Avenue, Westbury (Salisbury)