Firefighters Association outlines legislative agenda for New York at meeting in Albertson

Volunteer firefighter officials discussed a series of legislative priorities Saturday aimed at bolstering benefits and improving safety measures.

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York session, held at the Albertson Fire Company, was attended by Republican State Sen. Steve Rhoads, Democratic State Sen. Monica Martinez and Republican Assemb. Joe DeStefano. It comes as legislators are gearing up to engage in budget negotiations with Gov. Kathy Hochul in the coming weeks and months.

The FASNY legislative agenda included raising the current income tax credit for volunteer firefighters from $200 to $800 and removing a prohibition that disallowed members from accessing both the income tax credit and a local real estate property tax exemption. It also raised pushes for volunteer firefighters benefits to achieve parity with Workers Compensation and state coverage of annual blood tests capable of detecting multiple cancers, among other initiatives. 

“You always hear about the politics of everything. The politics invades Albany as it does anyplace else, but there are a few things that we agree on: When it comes to backing up our firefighters, backing up our EMS personnel, that’s something that Republicans and Democrats agree on,” said Rhoads, who has served as a volunteer firefighter for three decades.

Local firehouses have seen membership numbers dwindle in recent years, falling by 4,000 in Nassau County across the past 20 years, Newsday reported.

“They are struggling, which is why it’s our job to make sure that we put legislation programs to not only recruit but retain,” said Martinez, whose bill focused on the income tax credit is on the top of the FASNY legislative priorities.

That incentive may also help volunteers who do not own homes. While the current law allows for New York members to select between a 10% property tax exemption or a $200 credit, an increase to $800 would support those who rent, said Robert Leonard, an FASNY spokesman and assistant chief of the Syosset Fire Department.

Kevin McElynn, president of the Nassau County Firefighters Association, said there has to be a concerted focus on keeping young firefighters after recruitment. 

"It's a young person's job to be a firefighter," McElynn said. "If we just concentrate on people joining, we could have 50 people join and a year later, they're gone."

Some of the legislative items have been included in the governor’s proposed budget, including improved lithium-ion battery safety standards, the designation of EMS as an essential service and a first responders peer support program.

A separate bill would create a sales tax exemption for products like smoke detectors. While the cost savings would be minimal, Leonard said it would help educate consumers on the importance of the safety equipment and potentially reduce the number of fire-related deaths. 

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ