Volunteer fire departments need help. From recruiting, to funding, to manpower, it can be a struggle sometimes.

That’s why two Western New York departments rekindled an old partnership to help in the field.

There’s a friendly competitive spirit between Jamison Road and East Aurora’s firefighters, but it’s all for the best.

“Every time we sit down, we always say we're gonna solve the world's problems,” joked Daryl Nolan, the second assistant chief at Jamison Road Fire Department.

The two departments have a lot in common. Both are fully volunteer, Jamison Road with 40 people and East Aurora with 62.

“It's like a second home sometimes,” said Dan Wilson, the first assistant chief at Jamison Road FD, as he walked through East Aurora’s building.

These volunteers carry devices with them that alert them of a potential call.

“It could be at a kid's birthday party, it could be at a family gathering, could be a church. It is what it is,” said East Aurora FD Chief Roger LeBlanc. “That's part of being a volunteer. If we if we don't answer these calls, who is?”

They’ve seen requirements go up and numbers drop over the years and so now they have a reliance on each other.

“Between the hours of six in the morning and five in the evening, it's an automatic call out to them if we have an alarm of fire,” LeBlanc explained. “They are alerted at the same time as we are and then we are alerted when they have a call.”

It goes beyond the usual mutual aid.

“We know their skills. We know what they're good at,” said Wilson.

Over the past year and a half, they started doing more together, like one night’s session at Steuben Foods.

“To learn what Steuben Foods is, learn their facility and pre-plan it in case there’s ever an emergency here,” explained Aaron Denz, the second assistant chief at East Aurora FD.

They do drills together, train together and have some good old-fashioned fun, together.

“We'll play hockey games against each other, have picnics, bring family together,” said Wilson.

They do all this because there’s something reassuring pulling up to a scene and having some familiarity.

“East Aurora knows what we bring on our ladder truck and where it is. We know what East Aurora has on their ladder truck, as well as different apparatus,” explained Wilson.

They can call people by their names, instead of ‘hey you.’

“These types of relationships should be should be developed before you meet them for the first time on the fire ground,” said LeBlanc.

But it’s trust that’s most important.

“That cannot be bought or it can't be taught,” LeBlanc added.

That trust is something that can put into perspective how serious a scene might be.

“When you hear firefighter call on the radio, do you recognize their voice,” said Wilson. “[If] this is a normally very calm guy and he's getting his butt kicked and is kind of worked up, it gives you a real good idea of what you're about to get into. If it's somebody you don't work with every day you have it's hard to get that read.”

As much fun as these guys have with each other, it’s making sure the community is safe that stays front of mind.

“Both of our departments are very competitive and we want to be the best at our job,” said Wilson.

Both departments are always looking for new members.

To get in contact with Jamison Road FD, click here. To contact East Aurora FD, click here.