Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York’s Volunteer Firefighter Training Stipend program is being expanded to reimburse costs related to Basic Wildland Fire Suppression for firefighters involved in fighting wildfires. The course, a joint effort of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the Department of Environmental Conservation, covers wildland firefighting responsibilities, fire behavior, weather and other factors today. The stipend program will reimburse $250 per student, helping recruit and retain volunteers by making training more affordable. Hochul highlighted that in the last two years New York experienced 268 wildfires, burning nearly 7,900 acres, with hundreds of volunteers answering responses. Since Aug. 31, 2023, more than 1,400 firefighters have completed stipend training. DEC Forest Rangers will lead the training with OFPC staff support, expanding statewide capacity for wildland response. This initiative strengthens rural and volunteer fire departments statewide. For More Information https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/supporting-first-responders-governor-hochul-announces-funding-wildland-firefighter-training
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