This weekend, the spotlight will be on volunteer fire services across New York State as residents celebrate Recruit NY, and recognize the enormous importance of volunteer firefighters to the communities they service. The events of this upcoming weekend also grant us the opportunity to highlight legislation that is of significance to the volunteer firefighter community.

Recently, the Senate passed legislation that would expand medical coverage for volunteers to cover diagnoses of cancer in relation to the duties they perform as firefighters. The Assembly currently has a corresponding bill, A.711, which is heavily supported and sponsored by over 70 members of the Assembly.

“Expansion of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Law is a crucial bill, which will have a life-altering impact on the brave men and women who volunteer their time and safety for the well-being of the community they reside in, and it is paramount that the Assembly moves to pass this legislation as the Senate has done,” said Morinello. “My colleagues and I in the Assembly Minority Conference stand with the volunteer firefighters of this state and support their requests for an increase in medical coverage supported under the current law.”

Assembly Bill 711 currently resides in the Local Governments Committee and has the support of both sides of the aisle to be moved forward should the sponsor wish to proceed. For those interested in following the progress of the Volunteer Firefighters’ Benefit Law, follow the bill at http://nyassembly.gov/leg/ and type 711 in the search box.

Also, for those interested in more information on the Recruit NY events that are taking place across New York State this weekend, more information can be obtained by visiting Recruit NY’s website located at http://www.recruitny.org/.

“Volunteer firefighters are invaluable members of any community and are responsible for saving lives as well as millions of taxpayer dollars across our state,” said Morinello. “I encourage any individual interested in giving back to their community to visit their local volunteer fire company and explore the options available to them.”