Suffolk County’s emergency response system has long relied on a model that sets it apart from major urban centers: nearly all of its fire and EMS services are volunteer-based.
With 109 fire departments and 28 EMS agencies, the county depends on neighbors responding to neighbors in moments of crisis. But rising call volumes and declining volunteer numbers are putting that system under pressure.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said there has been an uptick in emergencies this year, including a 16% increase in house fires and a 37% rise in fire dispatch calls. At the same time, the number of active volunteers, which is approximately 13,000, has declined from previous years.
“The number of volunteers has decreased as the calls for ambulances and fire have increased. That’s concerning,” Romaine said at a news conference at the firehouse in Commack.
While some departments employ limited daytime staff to ensure coverage, the system heavily relies on community members who respond to calls at all hours.
Romaine said incentives include tax benefits, college tuition reimbursements and free training, but added that the greatest reward is the friendships formed and the lives saved.
“The most important thing in this is you get to meet your neighbors [and] you establish friendships and camaraderie,” he said. “[The fire department] has a tremendous influence on our school district and other community organizations.”
Suffolk County Legislator Sal Formica explained that the lack of volunteers could greatly affect emergency response times. He also warned that recruitment and retention go hand-in-hand with maintaining response times.
“There are some departments that are not as lucky [to have many volunteers] and because of that, [it] could impact response times, and that's what we don't want happening,” Formica said. “When we talk about response times, one minute to the person that's looking for help seems like 10 minutes.”
To compensate for shortages, some departments have implemented automatic mutual aid agreements, dispatching neighboring departments to certain calls to maintain rapid response.
But Formica cautioned that such measures stretch resources thin. He added that by assisting one district, it can leave another temporarily vulnerable.
Officials cite several reasons for the decline in volunteers, such as the rising cost of living on Long Island, the need for dual-income households, and longer work hours.
Suffolk County Clerk Vinnie Puleo said officials are lobbying to offer “pay per call or pay per shift” options, which are currently restricted. He said this modest compensation could help departments struggling to staff fire trucks while preserving the volunteer model.
Housing affordability has also emerged as a barrier. Legislator Steve Flotteron highlighted efforts to expand down-payment assistance programs for volunteers through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, such as Guardian Grants.
The initiative could provide up to $50,000 in assistance for moderate-income firefighters and EMS members seeking to buy homes in the communities they serve.
Beyond recruitment, officials stress prevention as part of the solution. In recent months, dozens of structure fires were linked to preventable hazards such as improper disposal of fireplace ashes, unsafe thawing of frozen pipes and poorly maintained heating systems.
“Please make sure at all times you have working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors in your homes,” Rudy Sunderman, the Commissioner of Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, said. “While these steps may seem small, they can go a long way to protect your family.”
Romaine explained the impact volunteers have on their communities during times of emergencies.
“When you see an EMS ambulance pull up to a house [or] when you see a fire truck pull up to a house, you [are] all watching the residents having one of their worst days, and they depend on their neighbors and their friends to respond,” he said.
