David J. Sweet comes from a family of firefighters.

“I had several family members who were firefighters,” Sweet, chairman of Western New York Legislative Committee, said. “The issue I had was to choose which company I would join down there because they had five different companies that I had relatives in all of them.”

With more than 40 years under his belt, Sweet sees firsthand challenges that he has not witnessed before.

“Physically, with age creeping up, but, you know, I think one of the biggest problems is, is the lack of people trying to join,” Sweet said.

The Firefighters Association of New York has been seeing a decline in volunteers leaving smaller groups to deal with influx of calls.

“It’s become very demanding,” Sweet said. “It’s not uncommon to be called out three or four times a day. We do have a couple of volunteer firefighters that are working as custodians at our main station. Their job is not firefighting, but that they are volunteers.”

Board members believe there are a number of issues impacting the recruitment of firefighters.

“It’s the lifestyle of people,” FASNY legislative committee member William Kershner said. “A lot of people go to college, they leave the area. There is more training involved and that is an issue, they may be working, have children.”

Volunteer firefighters and local elected officials from the Firefighters Association of New York are assembling their legislative agenda -- with retention and budgeting at the top of the priority list.

“The main issue we're having with these bills is, if they can't take action until they resolve the bail reform that seems to be holding everything up,” Sweet said. “But the items we're looking for are some additional benefits, incentives for recruitment.”

The board hopes these meetings will help them get a step ahead in being aware of the current state of its volunteer rate and what to do moving forward.

“Current economic impact and what the volunteers save New York State, that's $4.7 billion that we save the state every year,” Kershner said. “So whatever we can advocate, help, volunteer fire, firemen out is the biggest thing. Again, recruitment and retention, the members.”