ALBANY, N.Y. (WCAX) – A first-of-its-kind program in New York is aimed at boosting dwindling numbers of volunteer firefighters.
Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul launched the training stipend program. It uses $10 million of state money to offset the costs of required training courses. Stipends range from $500 to about $1,200.
Hochul’s office says volunteer fire departments serve about nine million New Yorkers, about half the state’s population. But in recent years, three-quarters of those departments have said their numbers are down while calls are up.
“Volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line to protect those in their communities, and it is time that we recognize and compensate them for the work that they have done,” Hochul, D-New York, said in a statement. “These stipends will allow our firefighters to continue serving their communities while also being able to provide for their families.”
Click here for more on the program.