Becoming a volunteer firefighter isn’t just a role, it’s a calling. It’s a commitment to serve others during their most critical moments, to step up when others step back, and to make a real, lasting difference in your community.
Volunteer firefighters and EMS professionals are not superheroes in capes, they are ordinary people: your family, friends, and neighbors. For those who feel the pull to help, volunteer firefighting offers a powerful sense of purpose, pride, and belonging.
Volunteer firefighters experience more than the adrenaline of emergency response, they gain deep personal satisfaction from protecting lives and property. And along the way, they build lifelong bonds with fellow volunteers, becoming part of a tight-knit brotherhood and sisterhood built on trust, courage, and service.
There are also many practical rewards. Volunteers receive:
- Free professional training and equipment
- Tax credits and property tax reductions
- Eligibility for affordable health coverage through the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP)
- Access to essential insurance coverage under the Volunteer Firefighter Benefits Law (VFBL) of New York State
- Health checkups
- Eligibility for service pensions
- Scholarships and tuition reimbursement for young volunteers pursuing college
You don’t have to fight fires to be a firefighter.
Not everybody has the desire or ability to run into burning buildings to extinguish a blaze and rescue people and pets. And that’s ok.
There are plenty of other meaningful roles you can take on in your fire department. Like crunching numbers? Help us balance the books. Organized? Be an administrator or put together a fundraiser. Love taking pictures? Become a fire photographer. Good with tools? Help fix stuff at the firehouse. There are so many ways to help out.
Whether you’re looking to give back, grow personally, or build valuable skills, becoming a volunteer firefighter offers unmatched rewards both personal and practical.
