Millerton Fire Company relies on volunteers

MILLERTON —  Century Boulevard is home to the two buildings utilized by the Millerton Fire Company (MFC), which serves the North East Fire District.

The building located at 29 Century Blvd. was completed in 2017 and holds the fire district office, an air cascade system, and the department’s rolling water minus the tanker. At 24 Century Blvd. is an older building that houses a rescue truck, a brush truck, a utility truck, and two utility task vehicles that MFC uses to access the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, which runs through North East. The building also houses a meeting room and a small kitchen.

Like many small-town fire companies, MFC relies on a volunteer force. The entire fire district budget, which is funded through fire district taxes, is utilized for equipment and building maintenance, workers compensation and other insurance, and as compensation of a select few non-firefighting district employees. According to NEFD commissioner board chair and MFC fire police Capt. Larry Selfridge, the 2022 budget was $742,375.

“The state has a formula to figure out how much your budget should be at, and we are well below that budget,” Selfridge said. “We are able to work within it.”

Despite MFC’s current status as a fully volunteer department, it has taken steps in conjunction with NEFD to prepare for the possibility of moving to a partly or entirely paid department in the future. As previously reported by The Millerton News, NEFD decided in 2021 to implement a 58% tax increase in order to begin updates to infrastructure that would be required in the event of a shift to paid personnel.

According to Selfridge, the additional funding has so far allowed MFC to install a second accessible bathroom compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as a specialized washer and dryer set designed for firefighting gear. Additional facilities that still need to be built before the shift can happen include lodging, an eat-in kitchen, and designated bathrooms for the firefighters.

While a shift to a paid department is on the minds of the NEFD commissioners, Selfridge does not see an immediate need. He said that the force currently has 69 members, up from 45 two years ago. Most of the volunteers live in North East and Millerton. “Right now, we’re very stable,” Selfridge said.

In addition to North East volunteers, MFC also has agreements with other fire departments in the area, which come together and provide assistance if a fire is unmanageable for one department. MFC is officially in a battalion with the Amenia, Wassaic, Stanfordville and Pine Plains fire departments, but they also work with other departments on an ad hoc basis.

In addition to the practical value provided by MFC’s volunteers, Selfridge  spoke to the culture and camaraderie of the company’s membership: “We have amazing morale within the fire company. People just seem to be having a very good time. It is a lot of work, don’t get me wrong, but they are having fun right now.” He noted that at the last Monday evening work detail of each month, the company tries to do something fun like play games or have dinner.

While essential costs are covered by fire district taxes, MFC’s status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization facilitates fundraising for additional volunteer perks, including fire company-branded apparel, as well as trophies and other awards to be distributed at the annual awards dinner.

Selfridge encouraged anyone who is interested in volunteering to visit during the Monday evening work detail, noting that they do not have to live in North East. He also said that local employers can help support MFC by allowing their employees to leave work in order to respond to fires.