‘There is Something for Everyone’

Local Fire Departments Call for Help as Recruitment Lags

By JAQUELYN CARLOSUNY Institute for Local NewsOTSEGO COUNTY

Volunteer fire departments across Otsego County are continuing to face recruitment and retention challenges, even as they ramp up community outreach through statewide campaigns like RecruitNY.

Departments in Milford, Mount Vision and Unadilla participated in this year’s RecruitNY weekend, a coordinated effort on April 18-19 designed to open firehouse doors and encourage residents to consider volunteering.

While the events succeeded in raising awareness, they produced few—if any—new applicants, underscoring a persistent struggle for rural emergency services.

“We have found that our events that engage the community can help,” said Unadilla Fire Department Chief Tyler Post. “They don’t always produce applicants. However, they do show the community we are out there working on adding new members to our rolls.”

In Unadilla, the campaign generated conversation and coordination but no immediate recruits.

“Most recently our RecruitNY event produced no applicants,” Post said. “It did give us an opportunity to work with our partners in law enforcement and discuss how we can continue to support each other.”

That outcome reflects a broader trend felt across Otsego County, where smaller populations, demanding training requirements and rising costs continue to strain volunteer departments.

At the Milford Fire Department and Emergency Squad, recruitment events saw modest participation, with only a small number of attendees converting into volunteers.