Membership

[firemn23 8]

Does anyone have problems with the state law that over 45% of your department can not live outside of the district and if so what have you done to help the situation?

[x635 4,066]

Is it actually a current (or antiquated) state law? And how is it actually enforced?? Theres got to be some way around it...if they even enforce it.....I wonder if they would grant a waiver or something?

[CM36 4]

yes in ardsley we have a big problem with that personally i think that law sound be changed

[mikeinet 37]

There's a number of departments that have brought up legislation in State Gov't that have changed it. (Just for their depts)

[BFD1054 1,552]

We have had this problem come up in the past as well. I would have to think that i am not alone in saying that departments in Westchester could use as much help as they can get. I don't know about other departments, but i have noticed a downfall in membership in other local departments, fortunately enough, my department has been doing okay in membership, knock on wood. So, i to agree that it is quite silly to not alow people to join if they live out of district. My department has actually extended the area in which you must live so that we could get more members. We allow anyone to join that lives within the tri-village; Buchanan, Montrose & Verplanck and have also let people from Peekskill join. I feel that if someone is willing to devote thier free time to a volunteer department, than they should be allowed to. At the same time, there has to be some boundaries, of course. Hell, i wish that i could join other departments to lend a hand, but that to is a no-no, but thats another issue. BFD1054

[Guest]

THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING THESE DAYS WITH REQUOIREMENTS PUT ON VOLUNTEERS. NUMBER OF CALLS THAT ARE BEING RUN OR THE LACK OF CALLS. AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO PUT IN ENOUGHT TIME FOR MEETINGS STANDBY AND TRAING. SMALLLER DEPARTMENT NEED TO CONSIDER MERGING WITH OTHER DEPTS. ESPECAILLY WHEN THEY ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. AS WELL AS PULL ALL RESOURCES TOGEATHER. THIS WOULD MAKE FOR A BETTER DEPARTMENT AND ALLOW FOR EVERYONE TO BE SERVED BETTER.

AFTERALLL ISNN'T THAT EVERYONE IS HERE FOR IS TO HELP PEOPLE

[Mofire24 27]

FIREDAWG I THINK YOU ARE ONLY ALOUD TO HAVE 10% OF YOUR MEMBERS LIVE OUTSIDE OF YOUR DISTRICT AND IF YOU ARE TAKING PEOPLE FROM OTHER DISTRICTS YOU ARE DEPRIVING THAT DISTRICT OF HAVING A MEMBER THAT LIVES IN THERE DIST

[chris498 31]

I am going to agree with Mofire on this one. I know all departments have agreed to let certain members who live in other districts to join their department, for a varity of reason...... but Mofire is right, to make this a common practice is unfair to other fire departments who are struggling to attract and retain new members..... if one department pulls people from all other fire districts, what are those districts suppossed to do for new members? Like I said there are always a few exceptions (everyone else in the thier family is already a member of said department, the home commmunity is not interested in them, they live sooo far away from their own districts fire house responding there is impracticle, they work in the other fire district) .... but really if somebody wants to join to serve their community, they should live or work in that community.

[Guest JQP442]

It is my understanding that you can have the law waved for your dept by sending an appeal to Albany. They will review it and if you meet certain standards then they will exempt you. I don’t know exactly what needs to be done to get this exemption but it can be done.

[HFD209 4]

I think it might be different in each department.. b/c down in greenville i think thier bylaws state that they can only have 2% live outside of the district. In hartsdale it doesn't matter where you live, as long as the chief ok's your residence.