Nanuet Fire Dept Holds Recruit Open House

The Nanuet Fire Department held an open house for recruits on Sunday at the fire house.

The department first had an open house last year, said President Frank Hutton. Things were a bit slow for at least the first two hours of the four-hour event, which Hutton thought might be due to the heavy rain in the area.

Still, the department brings in about one or two new recruits a month, but is always looking for more.

“Fire service is totally about manpower,” Hutton said. “And it’s always two people doing something. You don’t do anything without another person.”

Anyone interested in volunteering with the department can stop by the Prospect Street fire house Monday nights at 7 p.m. Hutton said volunteers ages 18-24 are especially beneficial.

“When you get them at that age, they’re usually in fire service for life,” he said. “You keep them forever. And even if it isn’t here, where ever they go, they’ll look for a way to remain in the fire service.”

Fire Commissioner Domenick Giovinazzo, who is also an former chief of the department, said the department also needs volunteers who will be able to respond to day calls. The department has about 65-70 members, but only a third can respond to day calls.

“With most volunteers, there are just more people who can respond to calls,” Giovinazzo said. “Especially as we’re getting into the summer, in the summer and winter we have to rotate people while they’re out on calls to make sure they don’t get heat exhaustion when it’s hot out, or too cold in the winter.”

Hutton added that the department teams up with nearby fire departments when needed, and also puts ads on TV, radio and in newspapers to try and seek more recruits. He said if they could add 30 more, that’d be incredibly helpful to the department.