Rep. Mike Lawler, left, with Assemblyman Matt Slater, right
On July 22, Assemblyman Matt Slater joined Rep. Mike Lawler at a press conference with local and state officials and members of local volunteer fire departments expressing opposition to a new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule that could harm local volunteer fire departments.
The federal government’s unfunded mandate poses an existential threat to emergency services. These are selfless men and women with families and jobs outside their regular firefighting duties. The federal government’s required annual fee of $1,725 just to measure if a department is compliant with its thicket of new regulations is costly and insulting. The local 2% tax cap means departments will have to slash staff and scale back working hours or risk being out of compliance with Washington’s new rules and therefore pay additional fees in penalties.
“This is the definition of an unfunded mandate, there’s no doubt about it,” said Slater. “Just like in Albany, Washington is actually proposing something without having a clear and direct conversation with the people it will impact the most; the brave men and women who answer the call during emergencies. Putnam County is serviced entirely by volunteers, and if you look at the FASNY analysis, property taxes are expected to go up by 45 percent if we lose our volunteer services.”
“If these volunteer departments can’t afford to meet the new requirements, we could see many of them shut down. Imagine the impact of communities left without essential emergency services. This is a matter of life and death,” said Rep. Lawler. “I urge OSHA to reconsider this proposed new rule. We need a more balanced and realistic approach. Exemptions for small, rural, and volunteer fire departments should be on the table, and we must explore ways to reduce financial and logistical burdens. We have to protect our first responders without jeopardizing the very services that keep our communities safe.”
“The federal government’s attempt to impose its OSHA mandate without local input and an appreciation for local circumstances would gut community fire protection, lead to higher taxes, and make us less safe,” said Sen. Rob Rolison. “As a former volunteer firefighter, I would never object to steps which enhance safety and protect the well-being of our volunteer, career, and combination fire departments. However, this rule has been imposed by Washington, DC without the time and adequate resources allotted to the selfless men and women who perform their life-saving duties every day in our communities. It’s why I’m standing with local, state, and federal officials to sound the alarm about OSHA’s unfair and costly new mandate.”
“These unfunded mandates from the federal and from the state side have to stop, we’ve got to do something for our volunteers,” said Putnam Valley Town Supervisor Jackie Annabi. “I know these men and women, and I know if this is put through, I know they’ll do it, because they’re volunteers, they have their heart in it. But it can’t happen because we can’t afford this to happen for our taxpayers.”
“It seems to be extremely unrealistic to expect volunteers to do what they’re talking about,” said Putnam Valley Fire Chief Frank DiMarco. “It’s not just training, it’s equipment, trucks, and everything else. I think it would essentially cripple many, many volunteer fire departments. And I just think that’s a lot to ask for at this point.”
