Firefighters around our area today are hosting open houses, to try to get some new recruits.

It's part of the statewide "Recruit NY" initiative.

There are almost two thousand departments across New York and most of those are manned by volunteers.

People always think about how firefighters are called on to rush into burning buildings, but there are other ways they help too.

"If you're middle age, older, we've got room for everybody and we need anybody that we can get,” said 1st Assistant Fire Chief Josh Smith.

"I've learned a lot, not just about how to fight fires and all of that, but about whom I am,” said Rotterdam Volunteer Firefighter Aysa Antonelli. “It teaches you a lot, it's a great thing to learn and get into."

If you want to go to one of todays open houses, visit recruitny.org.