4-16-12: Courtesy of WKBW. When it comes to fighting fires... communities that rely on volunteers are in need of more recruits....that's why officials here and all across New York are kicking off a drive to help boost the ranks of volunteer firefighters. Open houses and new bill boards are all part of this state wide push. As part of National Volunteer Week, Volunteer fire departments across New York State are taking part in something called RecruitNY this weekend. Erie County's version is known as VolunteerNY. Fire department open houses are the plan...as each fire company looks to bolster its membership in light of a shrinking population.
"Erie County still has as many neighborhoods and communities in need of protection as ever before and we need the volunteers to man that task," Said Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, as he was surrounded by firefighters from throughout the area. Behind him, on Grand Island Boulevard in the Town of Tonawanda, was one of the county's new recruitment bill boards.
