In 1974, National Volunteer Week was established as a time to celebrate people who selflessly serve their communities. Over the last four decades, National Volunteer week has grown, drawing ever-more support and recognition, from the President of the United States to local non-profits and community organizations around the country. This week, the tradition continues. Legislators, community activists and media professionals shined a national spotlight on the monumental impact and power of service.

While much of the week is focused on recognizing the creative and innovative ways people have improved their local communities, it is also an opportune time to promote the benefits of volunteerism and encourage others to take part.

In light of the struggles brought on by our nation’s economic downturn, volunteer efforts are more important than ever before. While all forms of volunteerism play a vital role in our communities, I would like to highlight the crucial contributions of one group of volunteers: emergency workers. Volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) provide a much more valuable service than most of us realize, particularly in upstate New York.

I have said it over and over again – volunteer emergency service providers are the backbone of our rural communities. They should feel great pride in the contributions they make to the lives of our families, friends and neighbors. They train for countless hours. They work to educate themselves, ensuring that their departments are on the vanguard of emergency response techniques.

We owe volunteer firefighters and EMTs a great debt of gratitude for the sacrifices and hard work they provide to the residents of our communities. In upstate New York, it is estimated that 95 percent of all firefighters participate on a volunteer basis. In addition, there are over 57,000 certified EMTs in the state, approximately 33,000 of whom are volunteers.

As we all know, burdensome property taxes in our region and state continue to challenge the budgets of families, seniors and small businesses. In addition to keeping our neighbors safe, volunteer emergency workers save property taxpayers $7 billion annually across New York State. Can you imagine the crushing increase in property taxes if we did not have the help and dedication of so many volunteers?

Sadly, many fire departments face significant volunteer shortages and are in need of additional help. Roughly 20,000 volunteer firefighters have been lost since 2003. Volunteers are eligible for many state- and organization-sponsored benefit programs, including income and property tax credits, length of service award programs and college tuition reimbursement. However, despite these incentives, emergency services departments are in dire need of new volunteers. The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has responded to the volunteer shortage with its annual recruitment drive.

The FASNY statewide campaign, known as RecruitNY, will occur on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. Local fire departments will discuss the requirements to become a volunteer, conduct demonstrations, answer questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department. Prospective volunteers should contact their local fire department for event details. For more information, visit http://www.recruitny.org.

If you are a volunteer – thank you! The sacrifices and dedication you and your family make to protect our local communities is a gift more valuable than words. If you are not a volunteer, please stop by your local fire department to say thank you; and, if you are able, please consider volunteering.

Please spread the word about the RecruitNY weekend coming up on April 26 and April 27. Your choice to become an emergency volunteer will not only enhance your life, but also the lives of your family, friends and neighbors.