Lansing Fire Dept. to hold RecruitNY event

On April 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Lansing Fire Department, located at 80 Ridge Rd. in Lansing, will hold a recruitment drive, opening its doors to area residents “so they can learn about what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter in their community,” according to a recent press release. The local recruitment drive is one of many being conducted at fire departments across the state as part of the annual statewide initiative RecruitNY.

Lansing’s RecruitNY event will be a true family affair, with tours of the station and firefighter apparatus, equipment demonstrations, opportunities for attendees to try on firefighter gear, along with coloring books, fire helmets and photo opportunities.

Lansing Fire Department member Frank Towner will entertain attendees as Crossroad the Clown. Sparky, the fire station mascot dog, will also join in the fun. A fire department officer will be available at a recruitment table to discuss the requirements to be a volunteer and ways to get involved, as well as to answer any questions.

As explained in the release, the RecruitNY effort, established in 2011, has become even more important in recent years as volunteer fire departments statewide struggle with decreased membership yet increased call volume. Lansing Fire Chief Brad George said he’s seen the effects locally as well.

“Even the big departments are doing more with less,” he said. “There’s always budget cuts, staffing shortages, things like that. Certainly, Lansing is no exception to that rule. We go in swings. … We have our ups, and we have our downs, and I think right now, we’re kind of in an upswing, which is great. But, throughout the years, we have seen our call volumes go up. And our participation and volunteerism has declined. It is a struggle. We rely heavily, as most departments, on our mutual aid department, [and] they have seen staffing shortages.”

While the Lansing Fire Department’s ranks have been stable recently, Towner said more members are always welcome to bolster the ranks and help counteract eventual turnover.

“In fire service, like a lot of clubs, organizations, you want to continue to bring new people in because you’re going to lose some that you have,” he said. “Students will move on and go to college. Young people will have children or a change of job and they won’t be able to commit the time. The older guys are going to age out and not maintain their training or be physically able to do it. So, you want to have a constant pipeline of new people in training.”

Last year was Lansing Fire Department’s first year participating in RecruitNY, and as members can attest, it was a big success.

“Not only did we use it as an event to recruit members, but we showcased to the community some of the things that we’re doing,” said Don Simons, apparatus operator for the department. “I arranged for LifeNet of New York to come down with their helicopter from Seneca Falls, and they spent the day with us. It was a beautiful day. We had one or two cars here that we did automobile extrication. And so, they showed the jaws of life and how we do that.”

Last year’s event garnered around 19 new applications, and most of those recruits are still with the department now. George, Towner and Simons all shared that they’re hoping for an event this year that’s just as fun, especially with fewer pandemic restrictions.

“This year, it’s a lot easier because last year, we were dealing with COVID,” Simons said. “And even though we were outside and we had all the bays open, we had displays inside of our equipment and a membership table and showed the bunkhouse where the bunkers live here and so forth. Everybody was masked and inside and out. And this year, it’s a little bit easier in that respect.”

Members are looking forward to the opportunity to showcase their department to the community and show off their love for their work. Towner shared his own experience and why he has stuck with the department for many years now.

“The first thing that comes to mind is camaraderie of community,” Towner said. “For instance, there’s three families that are three generations deep in the fire service. So, you learn about your community. … When you’re fighting, it’s pretty exciting, and the training is exciting. … So yeah, community and excitement.”

Simons, who’s also been with the department for a while, shared Towner’s enthusiasm.

“My background is such that, I’ve been on the other end of EMS, where I’ve had help from an ambulance corps,” he said. “Luckily, we haven’t had a fire at our house, but it’s nice to know that it’s there if you need it. And myself and a lot of people feel that this is a really good way to give back to the community. And I enjoy doing it. That’s why I do it.”

Towner said that no matter the skill level, interest area, gender or age, the department will welcome anyone who would like to join the ranks, and there’s a position for just about anybody.

“The fire department is so diverse, meaning if you want to come in and drive a truck, you can drive a truck,” Towner said. “If you want to come in and be an online firefighter, you can be an online firefighter. If you want to be on a safety team, you can. … You can train to be just that person. You don’t need to fight fire. You don’t need to drive the truck. You don’t need to pull a line. … So, when someone joins, there’s a place for them.”

George seconded that notion and welcomed all community members to the event later this month.

“We’re just hoping that everybody comes out that’s interested in joining, see what we’re all about,” George said. “Come on out. Take a tour. We’ll show you how we operate, things like that. If we get a couple members out of it, it’s great.”

For more information, visit fireinyou.org. To submit an application for the Lansing Fire Department, visit tinyurl.com/yb7pxzxh. Contact the fire department via its non-emergency phone number at (607) 533-4203.

Lansing at Large appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Easter egg hunt

Join the Lansing Fire Department for its annual Easter egg hunt! Continuing a longtime tradition, the volunteers of the Lansing Fire Department will hold the hunt April 16 at noon at Central Fire Hall, 80 Ridge Rd. The hunt will be divided into four age groups for hunting safety and success: 1- and 2-year-olds, 3- and 4-year-olds, 5- to 7-year-olds and 8- to 10-year-olds.

All children will receive a bag of goodies and will be greeted by the Easter Bunny and Crossroad the Clown. Please join us for one of the biggest events in Tompkins County. Contact the Lansing Fire Department at (607) 533-4203 or Frank Towner at (607) 339-3209.

Lansing library annual meeting

The Lansing Community Library’s annual meeting of the Board of Trustees is planned for April 25 at 7 p.m. at All Saints Parish Hall, 347 Ridge Rd. Come and find out what the library has planned for 2023. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Election and vote

The Annual Trustees Election and Budget Vote will be held in person, downstairs in the Lansing Community Library, 27 Auburn Rd., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 26.

Those eligible to vote must be registered to vote in the town of Lansing.

If you will not be in town on the day of the vote or are unable to vote in person, absentee ballots are now available at the library. Absentee ballots may be returned via mail, dropped off in the locked book return or returned during open hours.