Village of New Paltz looking for more firefighters

New Paltz fire chief Cory Wirthmann is facing an issue that has hit volunteer fire departments around the country: volunteer hours are dropping off. Even in the village, where the recruitment rate is higher than in some surrounding areas, the amount of time that each member commits to extinguishing fires and saving lives has been on the decline. As Wirthmann told trustees at their November 6 meeting, the challenges of work and family commitments have changed over the years, and as a result there are simply fewer volunteers nearby and available at any given time. 

One of the ways that the chief hopes to adapt to these shifting circumstances is by securing a “quick-response” vehicle. This will be a work truck similar to the ones used in the public works department, but customized to carry a variety of gear appropriate to the firefighting mission. Its quickness would be in the fact that it won’t take a special certification to drive, meaning that members who otherwise might have to wait for the appropriate firetruck to be ready to move could be on the scene much quicker. The truck would be parked in the fifth bay of the firehouse, and Wirthmann believes it would allow for a more nimble response by the volunteers. 

The culture of frugality and planning that infuses village government will make it possible to pay for this truck without tapping taxes, and trustees approved the purchase right away. Wirthmann has already come up with a plan to keep the cost down to around $170,000 by purchasing the appropriate chassis only, and then having the department’s outfitter and mechanic install the lights and sirens, as well as the custom body for moving emergency gear into the field. Mayor Tim Rogers praised the work of Nancy Branco, who as the village’s treasurer has been setting aside money in a reserve fund for fire equipment for many years. That fund now stands at close to $1.5 million, thanks to Branco’s efforts being bolstered by grants awarded by the current state senator, Michelle Hinchey, as well as Jen Metzger when Metzger held that office of a term. This helped make this purchase an easy sell for the chief. 

With Wirthmann at the table, trustees were also brought up to speed on the idea of increasing allowed contributions to the length-of-service program that volunteer firefighters can receive. Village officials presently award the maximum $1,200 per year to firefighters, which gets vested over time and invested in a diverse set of funds. It’s not a large amount of money, but Rogers said that it exceeds what is paid in communities where the volunteers receive a stipend per incident. 

The chief acknowledged using this program as a recruitment tool, but that it’s not a primary enticement because Wirthmann wants volunteers who enjoy saving lives and helping others more than any financial benefit. The program may serve as an incentive to stick with the department, as well. Wirthmann noted that younger volunteers have a lot of time and energy, but as family and work obligations increase that commitment wanes. Those who remain for the long haul eventually have more time and desire to answer those calls again. These “legacy firefighters,” as Wirthmann called them, are dropping out of service nationwide, and the chief is concerned about losing their knowledge and experience. 

Village trustees will soon be considering a resolution, directed to state legislators, asking that the maximum service award again be increased.

The brown note

Brown water is a cosmetic nuisance in the Village of New Paltz water supply: it’s the result of oxidization of old water mains being disturbed. While it poses no health risk, that color in the water can be quite alarming to someone who doesn’t know the cause. The massive project to replace that Chestnut water main should help in the long run, but could make water brown even more often while work is ongoing. 

Mayor Tim Rogers, a prodigious writer of letters to the editor, took one that explains the issues and has made it available to out-of-town visitors staying at local hotels. Rogers hopes that an explanatory document on village letterhead could ease those worries about the source of the color. Rogers is open to providing this to other business owners whose customers might also be squicked and in need of reassurance.