By Holly Crocco
Area lawmakers were joined by members of local volunteer fire departments July 22 at the Putnam Valley Fire Department to express opposition to new Occupational Safety & Health Administration rules that they say could harm local volunteer fire services.
The new rules require volunteers to commit an extraordinary amount of time to complete training, and would even cause many departments to lose members who don’t currently have the required number of hours under their belts.
“It seems to be extremely unrealistic to expect volunteers to do what they’re talking about,” said Putnam Valley Fire Chief Frank DiMarco. “It’s not just training, it’s equipment, trucks and everything else. I think it would essentially cripple many, many volunteer fire departments. And I just think that’s a lot to ask for at this point.”
Assemblyman Matt Slater, R-Yorktown, called the measure “the definition of an unfunded mandate.”
“Just like in Albany, Washington is actually proposing something without having a clear and direct conversation with the people it will impact the most – the brave men and women who answer the call during emergencies,” he said. “Putnam County is serviced entirely by volunteers, and if you look at the Firefighter Association of the State of New York analysis, property taxes are expected to go up by 45 percent if we lose our volunteer services.”
Putnam Valley Town Supervisor Jackie Annabi said the unfunded mandates from the federal and state governments have to stop.
“I know these men and women, and I know if this is put through, I know they’ll do it, because they’re volunteers – they have their heart in it,” she said. “But it can’t happen because we can’t afford this to happen for our taxpayers.”
Congressman Mike Lawler, R-Rockland, said if volunteer departments can’t afford to meet the new requirements, many of them could be shut down.
“Imagine the impact of communities left without essential emergency services,” he said. “This is a matter of life and death. I urge OSHA to reconsider this proposed new rule. We need a more balanced and realistic approach. Exemptions for small, rural and volunteer fire departments should be on the table, and we must explore ways to reduce financial and logistical burdens.”
As a former volunteer firefighter, Sen. Rob Rolison, R-Poughkeepsie, said he would never object to steps that enhance safety and protect the well-being of volunteer, career and combination fire departments.
“However, this rule has been imposed by Washington, D.C., without the time and adequate resources allotted to the selfless men and women who perform their life-saving duties every day in our communities,” he said. “It’s why I’m standing with local, state and federal officials to sound the alarm about OSHA’s unfair and costly new mandate.”
During the County Legislature’s July 22 Protective Service Committee meeting, lawmakers voted to send a message to OSAH, asking for more time for volunteer departments to come into compliance before they are left shorthanded by the new rules.
“OSHA is a great organization and I’m glad they are trying to improve the safety of fire service in New York and throughout the United States,” said Legislator Bill Gouldman, R-Putnam Valley. “But all the fire departments in Putnam County, and elsewhere, can’t do what they’re asking them to do… If they lose the members of their departments, what will happen?” he asked. “Seventy-five percent of the volunteers in the fire department at Putnam Valley will not be able to do their job as volunteers.”
Gouldman noted that, while cities like White Plains or Mount Vernon can afford to staff paid departments, the towns and villages in Putnam County cannot. “There will be no volunteer service anymore,” he said. “The worst-case scenario would be someone calls 911 and no one shows up.”
The new rules also increase standards on equipment that would require departments to buy new trucks and other apparatus.
“The one-size-fits-all model is not appropriate for us,” said Legislator Erin Crowley, R-Mahopac. “It’s not something we can withstand and it’s ridiculous.”
Legislator Ginny Nacerino, R-Patterson, said volunteerism needs to be encouraged, not discouraged.
“We can’t afford the financial burden of the unfunded mandates, and we speak over and over again about the lack of volunteerism and retention of our volunteers, and if we lose the volunteers that we have, that would also have such a devastating effect on our county and our safety, and everything else across the board across Putnam County,” she said.
Legislator Nancy Montgomery, D-Philipstown, said she needs to see more information about the proposed changes.
“Hopefully we all recognize that OSHA is in place to keep our firefighters and our fire departments safe,” she said, suggesting that the county’s Bureau of Emergency Services provide some of the needed training for volunteers.
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