Firefighters Association of the State of New York facts for kids
The Firefighters Association of the State of New York, often called FASNY, is a group that helps volunteer firefighters in New York State. FASNY teaches, supports, and serves these brave volunteers. It started in 1872 and its main office is in Albany, New York. In 2022, its name changed from the "Firemen's Association" to "Firefighters Association." Today, over 40,000 volunteer firefighters are members of FASNY.
FASNY also runs the FASNY Firemen's Home and the FASNY Museum of Firefighting in Hudson, New York. They offer training and education for volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) teams across New York. FASNY also gives out many awards to recognize those who do great work in these services. They even honor teachers who educate people about fire safety. Plus, FASNY works with lawmakers to support important issues for firefighters and EMS.
Contents
Who Leads FASNY?
The current president of FASNY is John Farrell Jr. Edward Tase Jr is the First Vice President, and Eugene J Perry Jr is the Second Vice President.
Training and Education for Firefighters
Every year, FASNY offers training and learning programs all over New York State. Experts teach thousands of emergency service workers about many different topics.
The main goals of the Training and Education Committee are three-fold. First, they want FASNY to be known as the main voice for volunteer fire services in New York. Second, they work to get more people to join FASNY. Most importantly, they aim to lower the number of injuries and deaths among fire and EMS responders. They do this by teaching about safety and other important topics. This training includes workshops on things like how to manage a fire department, the role of Chaplains, Fire Police duties, and handling Haz-Mat (hazardous materials) situations.
How FASNY Helps with Laws
The FASNY Legislative Committee works hard to solve problems for its members. They talk to lawmakers and try to find solutions for current and future concerns. This is called advocacy.
Awards and Recognition
Each year, FASNY celebrates amazing achievements in firefighting, EMS, teaching, fire safety education, and helping the community. FASNY also honors volunteer firefighters who have served for 50 years in New York State.
Some of the awards they give out include:
- EMS Provider of the Year
- FASNY Gerard J. Buckenmeyer Volunteer Scholarship
- Firefighter of the Year
- Firefighter Recognition 50/100 Year Award (for long service)
- Fire Safety Educator of the Year
- Fire Service Community Achievement Award
- Golden Trumpet
- Teacher of the Year
- Youth Group of the Year
FASNY Committees
FASNY has many committees that help it run smoothly and achieve its goals. These groups focus on different areas to support volunteer firefighters. Some of these committees include:
- Chaplains Committee
- Emergency Medical Services Committee
- Fire Chiefs Committee
- Legislative Committee
- Membership Committee
- Public Relations Committee
- Training and Education Committee
- Youth in the Fire Service Committee
The Firemen's Home
The FASNY Firemen’s Home is a large building designed to make members comfortable. It offers special care for both younger and older firefighters. This includes health care, a chance to spend time with other firefighters, and ways to stay connected to firefighting activities. The home is licensed by the New York State Department of Health.
The Museum of Firefighting
The FASNY Museum of Firefighting shows many years of firefighting history in New York State. The idea for the museum started in 1923. Firefighter groups decided that if a building could be made for a museum, they would donate old fire engines. These included a very old engine from England built in 1725 and other historic pieces.
The Museum was built with a large center hall and two side wings, creating a lot of space for exhibits. On November 12, 1925, six big trucks brought the valuable collection from New York City. The items were carefully listed and put on display. The Museum officially opened on Memorial Day in 1926 with special ceremonies.
Over the years, the Museum has grown bigger to hold all the new donations. Additions were built in 1957, 1972, 1989, and 2000. Today, the museum is very large, covering more than 50,000 square feet.
How FASNY Started
In August 1872, in Auburn, New York, a group of local volunteer firefighters were watching a parade. One of them wondered, "Why don't we have a firemen's convention?" This simple question led to the creation of one of the biggest organizations in the state.
Word spread among fire companies that they should meet 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 to form a special committee. This committee would then meet on September 6 to discuss forming a state firemen's association.
The committee met and wrote a plan. Their idea was for the association to help fire departments work together. They wanted to improve how departments were run, discuss new fire equipment, and share ideas about firefighters' duties. The plan also called for a president, vice-presidents, and secretaries to lead the convention. Each fire company would send one representative.
The first annual Convention of the Firemen's National Association was set for October 1 and 2, 1872, in Auburn. Fire companies from all over the United States were invited to send a delegate. Many states sent letters saying they would send people. When the convention started, delegates from Paterson, New Jersey, and Des Moines, Iowa, were there. Local businesses helped by giving money to welcome the delegates.
The first day of the convention was for organizing the association and listening to speakers. That evening, a big ball was held. The second day included a parade and fun activities. Fire engines and hose companies competed in tests. There was even a race between two hose companies.
During the convention, it was decided that since only parts of New York and other states were represented, the group would be called the "Firemen's Association of the State of New York."
See also
- Women in firefighting
