volunteer firefighters

The Central New York community is mourning the loss of a local volunteer firefighter who passed away unexpectedly.

There are nearly 100,000 volunteer firefighters in New York State. According to the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, those volunteers provide service hours that save the citizens of the Empire State over $3.8 billion per year. It's difficult to quantify what those volunteers really saved those that they have served. Then there are the volunteer Ambulance & EMS workers, jobs so stressful their numbers are tumbling each year. In December, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill introduced by Democratic Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski and state Sen. Elijah Reichlin-Melnick that may be a way of keeping those volunteers.

If you are a volunteer firefighter the Firemen's Association of the State of New York wants to offer you 100% tuition reimbursement at a New York Community College.

The State Senate has passed a bill that would expand benefit coverage for volunteer firefighters who are diagnosed with various forms of cancer linked to their duties.

The State Senate's proposed budget includes more benefit coverage for volunteer firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer related to their job.

It's a statewide effort aimed at increasing volunteer firefighter numbers.

Legislation that would prohibit registered sex offenders from being volunteer firefighters has been signed in law by Governor Cuomo.

A bill has been introduced in the House that would create a $1,000 dollar tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.