Firefighters Association of the State of New York facts for kids

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York, also known as FASNY, is a group that helps volunteer firefighters in New York State. They teach, support, and serve these brave volunteers. FASNY started in 1872. Its main office is in Albany, New York. It was first called the Firemen’s Association. In 2022, it changed its name to FASNY. Today, over 40,000 people are members of FASNY. FASNY also runs the FASNY Firemen's Home and the FASNY Museum of Firefighting. Both are located in Hudson, New York.

FASNY shares information and offers training for volunteer fire and emergency medical services (EMS). They also give awards to people who do great work. This includes recognizing educators for teaching fire prevention. FASNY also works with lawmakers to help volunteer firefighters.

Who Leads FASNY?

FASNY has leaders who guide the organization. The current president is John Farrell Jr. Edward Tase Jr. is the First Vice President. Eugene J Perry Jr. is the Second Vice President.

Training and Learning for Firefighters

Each year, FASNY offers many training programs. These programs happen all over New York State. Experts teach thousands of emergency service workers.

The Training and Education Committee has three main goals. First, they want to show that FASNY speaks for volunteer firefighters. Second, they work to get more people to join FASNY. The most important goal is to keep firefighters and EMS workers safe. They do this by teaching about safety and other important topics. This training includes workshops on many areas. These areas include how to manage a fire department, how fire police work, and how to handle dangerous materials.

Awards for Heroes

Every year, FASNY celebrates amazing achievements. They give awards for firefighting, EMS work, and teaching. They also recognize people who teach about fire safety. Community service is also honored. FASNY helps celebrate volunteer firefighters who have served for 50 years.

Here are some of the awards:

• EMS Provider of the Year
• FASNY Gerard J. Buckenmeyer Volunteer Scholarship
• Firefighter of the Year
• Firefighter Recognition 50/100 Year Award
• Fire Safety Educator of the Year
• Fire Service Community Achievement Award
• Golden Trumpet
• Teacher of the Year
• Youth Group of the Year

How FASNY is Organized: Committees

FASNY has many committees. These groups help FASNY do its work. Each committee focuses on a different part of the organization.

Some of these committees include:

• Chaplains Committee
• Emergency Medical Services Committee
• Fire Chiefs Committee
• Legislative Committee
• Membership Committee
• Public Relations Committee
• Recruitment and Retention Committee
• Scholarship Advisory Committee
• Training and Education Committee
• Youth in the Fire Service Committee

The Firemen's Home

The FASNY Firemen’s Home is a special place. It is about 126,000-square-foot (11,700 m²) in size. It is made to be comfortable for its members. The home offers health care and special help for recovery. Members can also spend time with other firefighters. This helps them stay connected to their firefighting community. The New York State Department of Health licenses this home.

FASNY Federal Credit Union

The FASNY Federal Credit Union helps members with their money. It serves FASNY members and their families. It also helps employees of FASNY and the Firemen's Home. Volunteer groups like fire departments and ambulance squads can also use it. Members of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are also included.

The Museum of Firefighting

The FASNY Museum of Firefighting shows the history of firefighting in New York State. In 1923, firefighters decided to create a museum. They wanted a place to keep old fire engines and tools. The first items were four old fire engines. One was built in England in 1725!

The museum was built with a large center hall. It had two side wings. This gave it about 2,600 square feet (240 m²) of space. On November 12, 1925, six big trucks brought the first items from New York City. The museum officially opened on Memorial Day in 1926.

Over the years, the museum received many more donations. More space was needed. Additions were built in 1957, 1972, 1989, and 2000. Now, the museum is over 50,000 square feet (4,600 m²) in size! It is a great place to learn about firefighting history.

How FASNY Started: A Brief History

In August 1872, something special happened in Auburn, New York. A group of local volunteer firefighters were watching a parade. One of them had an idea: "Why not have a firemen's convention?" This simple question led to the creation of one of the state's largest organizations.

Soon, firefighters from different companies met. They wanted to form a permanent Firemen's Association. On September 2, members of the Auburn fire department met. They decided that each of their six fire companies would choose three members. These members would form a special committee. This committee would plan for a statewide firemen's association.

The committee met and wrote a plan. They said the new group would help fire departments work together. It would also help them learn about new fire equipment. They wanted to share ideas and talk about important topics for firefighters.

The plan also called for leaders: a president, vice-presidents, and secretaries. Each fire company would send one person to the convention. Their company would pay for their trip.

The first meeting of the new group was set for October 1 and 2, 1872. It would be held in Auburn. Fire companies from all over the United States were invited. People were very excited! Eleven states said they would send people. When the meeting started, delegates from Paterson, New Jersey, and Des Moines, Iowa, were there.

The first day was for organizing the new group. There were also speeches. That evening, a big dance was held. The second day had a parade and fun activities. Fire engines and hose companies competed in tests. There was even a race between two hose companies!

The first meeting decided that the group would be called the Firemen's Association of the State of New York. This was a big step for volunteer firefighters in New York.

See also

• Women in firefighting