Red Hook Fire Company warns of volunteer shortfalls; town considers efficiency study and regional coordination

The Red Hook Town Board reviewed a letter from the Red Hook Fire Company at its April 22 meeting reporting a sustained decline in active volunteer membership and concerns about consistently meeting contractual service obligations.

The supervisor (S1) read from the correspondence and emphasized the long history and value of volunteer companies to the community but said the letter "was not easy for them to write." Board members discussed options including contracting with a single provider for areas outside village boundaries, creating a fire district with elected commissioners, or seeking a third-party study funded by a Local Government Efficiency (LGE) grant to analyze service delivery.

Board member comments and a staff presenter noted state rules that complicate creating municipal paid fire departments and described pending county-level directives to develop EMS plans. Local officials said paid, county-run or regional EMS could eventually be designated an essential service, increasing pressure to formalize coverage. Board members also noted prior outreach to private ambulance providers and a previously estimated cost for a dedicated paramedic unit.

Several members recommended pursuing a grant-funded study now to explore options, collaborate with village governments and the school district and present clear cost implications to voters. One board member suggested reviewing the Rockefeller Institute report on fire protection service delivery to inform next steps.

No final decision was made at the meeting; the board expressed interest in outreach to the villages and county to determine appetite for a joint study and said staff should return with options.