Photo Credit: Firefighters Association of the State of New York
In an effort to boost recruitment for the Pine Plains Fire Department, the Town Board last month passed a resolution authorizing reduced property taxes for volunteer firefighters.
The Board acted quickly to authorize the tax waivers for firefighters residing in the Pine Plains Fire District after the waivers were allowed by a December 2022 state law. Pine Plains Supervisor Brian Walsh, who also serves as fire chief, applauded the move.
The deadline for new volunteers to sign up is February 20; a workshop for potential volunteers is scheduled for February 13.
Under the new local law, volunteer firefighters who serve in the department for five years or more are eligible for a 10% waiver on their property taxes for up to 10 years. Firefighters who serve more than 20 years get a lifetime 10% property tax exemption. Additional benefits include essential health insurance and priority in receiving scholarships and tuition reimbursement at state colleges.
Volunteer fire departments across New York state are increasingly struggling to maintain sufficient personnel to protect their communities. Over the past two decades, the state has gone from having 120,000 volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers to about 80,000. This comes at a time when the frequency and complexity of calls is increasing. Outside of big cities, most fire calls in New York state are handled by local volunteers.
Officials cite multiple reasons for the decline in volunteer firefighters, but most boil down to state residents saying they simply don’t have time.
In Pine Plains, volunteers undergo virtually the same training as their paid counterparts. This includes classroom work, rigorous hands-on training and mentoring by a senior volunteer. Fire-prevention education remains an important regular activity as well.
The Pine Plains Fire Department dates all the way back to 1895, when the team numbered 22 men. In 1896, the department purchased its first equipment — two hose carts, for which it paid $24 apiece.
Technological advancements have evolved dramatically since those days. Today, the Pine Plains Fire Department brings a range of equipment to the job that reflects the variety of demands placed on a small department. There are three engines, an engine for fighting forest fires and a rescue truck.