Statistics show volunteer fire companies are facing an increasing number of emergency calls while at the same time struggling to maintain manpower and resources.
That’s why Ward Diesel and Ward Apparatus in Big Flats, manufacturers of a variety of items utilized by fire departments, hosted the third annual New York State Home Day on Wednesday, May 27 to highlight the importance of community and government support for volunteer firefighters and departments at every level.
The event aligned with the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) and Fire Emergency Manufacturers’ and Service Association’s (FEMSA) continued support for grant programs that help fire departments of all sizes purchase essential equipment and safety items, said Ward Diesel and Ward Apparatus President and CEO Scott Beecher.
“Local fire and rescue personnel remain the backbone of the nation’s first response capabilities, serving as an essential part of the country’s response strategy for natural disasters, severe weather events, and potential manmade threats,” Beecher said. “In 2023, the nation had approximately 1 million fire and rescue personnel, with 635,100 serving as volunteers, representing 62% of the fire service.”
As fire and rescue departments face rising call volumes, increasing equipment needs, and more frequent large-scale disasters, Ward Diesel and Ward Apparatus join FAMA and FEMSA in supporting the Fiscal Year 2027 request to fund the Assistance to Firefighters Grants equipment program at $405 million, Beecher added.
The keynote speaker for the event, which attracted local government and fire service officials from across the region, was U.S. Rep. Nicholas Langworthy, who said he will do everything he can to make sure the federal government recognizes the importance of the volunteer fire service and fully supports it.
“Unfortunately our population continues to shrink in the Southern Tier. We lose residents to other states,” Langworthy said. “We have a very aged fire service, so recruitment and retention is a pressure that’s on every single department. Dollar bills are a pressure point on each of our departments.
“We have competitive grants programs available through the federal government for our departments to apply for that we work very closely with our volunteer fire service so that they have absolutely the best foot forward in their applications for funding,” he added.
Another bonus of having companies like Ward Diesel in Chemung County is in addition to supporting volunteer fire departments, they are also boosting the local economy, said Chemung County Executive Christopher Moss.
“That’s a big takeaway. The manufacturing that is going on is really awesome,” Moss said. “We’re really proud of that.”
Langworthy said he will continue to fight to make sure the 23rd Congressional District gets its share of federal funds to help support local fire departments.
“I think that we’ve done quite well in the last few years in bringing pretty sizable pieces home to New York 23,” he said. “I want us to have a fiscally sound total program, but once that program’s set, I want the biggest piece of that pie to come home to our volunteer fire services that we can get.”
This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Big Flats manufacturer pushes feds for Assistance to Firefighters
Reporting by Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette / Elmira Star-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
