Fire companies seeking new volunteers

Departments plan May 17 recruiting events

By RICHARD NILSEN, The Leader-Herald
More volunteer firefighters are needed locally, and veteran firefighters Ralph Palcovic of Caroga Lake and Michael Quinn of Perth are directing a countywide recruitment effort to fill that need.

May 17 has been designated Volunteer Department Recruitment Day by the Fulton County Fire Advisory Board. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day, all 15 volunteer fire companies in the county will be open for tours, information and education on what needs, vacancies and support slots are open in volunteer fire companies.

The important part volunteer firefighters play in protecting public safety was put on display last month in Johnstown. More than a dozen Fulton County fire companies helped the Glove Cities’ professional firefighters battle the April 24 blaze, which destroyed several old industrial buildings.

But not everyone who volunteers with a fire company needs to pick up a hose or drive a ladder truck.

“We need help from bookkeeping to janitorial, station maintenance to plumbing and electrical work,” Palcovic said.

A former chief of the Caroga Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Palcovic now teaches as a state-certified fire instructor. He said he will have a video presentation on ice rescue and automobile extraction as part of the presentation in Caroga Lake.

“In 1976, when I joined the department, we had a waiting list of recruits to get in and expanded our roster from 65 to 70 to accommodate them,” Palcovic said. “Since the mid-1980s, we haven’t been able to fill the roster.”

Rockwood-Garoga-Lassellsville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mark Souza said his department has been hurt in recent years with some of its older members retiring from active firefighting duties. Souza said his department has 33 members right now, when it usually has at least 40 members.

Souza hopes the May 17 event will help his department attract some younger members.

“That’s what were having a hard time doing, getting the young people to come in,” Souza said.

At the Oppenheim Volunteer Fire Department, Chief Richard Voorhees said his “optimal number” of firefighters is between 32 and 35.

“Right now we only have 24,” Voorhees said. “We could use about 10 more.”

Even the Meco Volunteer Fire Department, which isn’t suffering as much as some other departments, welcomes more participation.

“We don’t turn away good people,” Chief Greg House said.

Palcovic said there is a state- and nationwide trend in falling volunteerism.

Quinn said the slogan for the event next weekend is “Join our team.”