In 1974, National Volunteer Week was established as a time to celebrate people doing extraordinary things through service. The week, which will take place between April 21 and 27, focuses national attention on the monumental impact and power of volunteerism and service as an integral aspect of civic leadership and community involvement.

Since National Volunteer Week was established, it has continued to grow and draw ever-more support and recognition from the President of the United States to local non-profits and community organizations around the country. While much of the week is focused on recognizing the creative and innovative ways people have engaged in their local communities, it is also a time to promote the benefits of volunteerism and galvanize others to take part.

In recent years, with the struggles brought on by the economic downturn in our nation and worldwide, the power of volunteer efforts has reached a level of importance far greater than ever before. While all forms of volunteerism play a vital role in our communities, I would like to draw your attention to one group of volunteers, emergency workers. Particularly in upstate New York, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) provide a much more valuable service than most of us realize.

I have said it over and over again – volunteer emergency service providers are the “backbone” of our rural communities and should feel great pride in the contributions they make in the lives of our families, friends and neighbors. They undergo countless hours of training and education to ensure their departments are prepared to help and protect the residents they serve.

We owe volunteer firefighters and EMTs a great debt of gratitude for the sacrifice 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 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the state, 33,000 of which are volunteers.

As we all know, rising 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, do you know how much volunteer emergency workers save property taxpayers? It’s been estimated that volunteer firefighters and emergency medical workers provide over $7 billion in services to local communities throughout New York State. Can you imagine the significant 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 training and benefit programs. However, despite the availability of these programs, volunteerism is down across the state. The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has responded to the volunteer shortage with an annual recruitment drive.

The FASNY statewide campaign, known as RecruitNY, will occur on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28. Local fire departments will discuss the requirements to be a volunteer, conduct demonstrations, answer questions, and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department. Interested individuals should contact their local fire department to determine if the department is hosting an open house and, if so, when their doors will be open to the public. For more information, you also can visit http://www.recruitny.org.

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

Please spread the word about the RecruitNY weekend coming up on April 27 and April 28. Your choice to become an emergency volunteer worker will not only enhance your life but also the lives of your family, friends and neighbors.