RUSH FIRE DIST. NEWSLETTER / FEBRUARY & MARCH ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING: The 2023 Organizational Meeting was on January 5 2023.  Scott Goodman was appointed Chairman and Doug Platt Vice - Chairman. Aletha Steehler was appointed to the position of Treasurer and Catherine Stappenbeck to the position of Secretary and Deputy Treasurer. The official newspaper will be the Penny Saver. The meetings will be held 3^rd Tuesday at 7:00PM.  The Chiefs & Line Officers were approved by the district commissioners. The commissioners thanked the 38 Fire Department officers and membership for all they due for the people we serve.

 ANNUAL BUDGET: The 2023 fire district budget. The tax rate will be $1.22 per thousand. We are going to have a paid firefighter on duty at station one Monday thru Friday doing station duties and responding immediately to a call as a first responder. Insurance went up quite a bit because of cancer coverage that is now required. Some worn our gear needs replacing and is very expensive. Firefighters are now cleaning both stations and continue to mow the lawns. The town highway dept. is allowing us to do some preventive maintance on the apparatus saving hundreds of taxpayer dollars.

 GRANTS: We received a $1,500 grant for new nozzles from NYS matching fund program. We also received a Federal FEMA Grant for Air Pack of $193,000.

 VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT & AMBULANCE:

 2023 FIRE & AMBULANCE ACTIVITY:  Total of 510 calls – EMS (Ambulance) 65%.  No major loss fires in any Rush home during 2022 we are happy to report. One barn fire that was quickly extinguished at John Davids. Two vehicle fires on I-390. One semi tractor & trailer and a car towing a trailer hit a deer and was completely destroyed by the fire. We used are automatic mutual aid five times in 2022.  We responded to 15 requests for assistance to other districts. Our #1 call is for vehicles hitting a deer or other animal and having a fluid leak. Our #1 EMS call is for a lift assist.

 ALL VOLUNTEERS: None of our members are paid for the hundreds of hours they put in to serve the Rush community.  Our members attended countless hours of training on our scheduled drill nights alone. Several members elect to take extra classes to advance their knowledge in several subject areas related to fire service, leadership, water rescue and emergency medical service. We have county & state instructors in the department. We are your neighbors, mechanics, teachers, bus drivers, computer technicians, construction workers, retirees, students, family members, and friends. Thank you for your support. We look forward to serving the Rush community and our neighboring FDs in 2023!

 “IS THERE A FIRE IN YOU?” In just 10 years the number of volunteer firefighters in NYS has dropped from 120,000 to 80,000. 93% on ALL New York State firefighters are VOLUNTEER.

 www.RushFD.org web site has a link to the state program and information on our home page. There is also a box to click on for membership information.  

OFFICERS FOR 2023:  Chief Jon Faugh,  Asst. Chiefs Kevin Smith  & Mike Terzo Jr., Captains Dan Kwiecien, Fire Police Kevin Kolmetz, Lts. Dale Sweet, Jason Dundon, Jim Princerhorn, Zac Dubois, and Lt. & safety officer Jim McNeil. Social Officers: Heidi Sweet – President, Beth Faugh - Vice President,  Diana Pfersick - Secretary, Treasurer Bob Faugh, Asst. Treasurer & Asst. Secretary Kevin Kolmetz.  

FUND DRIVE: We have about 600 of the 1,300 requests return some donation. Including United Way we have received a total $40,000 in donation plus one Rush resident paid for the new rescue struts on 588 which cost $ $13,352.02. A SINCERE THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED.

FIRE PREVENTION: Many of the fire publications have FD’s that boast about how many serious calls they respond to. WE BOAST on how the residents that we serve are very fire and safety conscious and DO NOT NEED OUR SERVICES VERY OFTEN, We thank you for this. Please continue the great work.  We feel that our years of fire prevention & education efforts have paid off. These efforts do work and help control accidental fires and resulting injuries or death in Rush.

LADIES APPRICIATION DINNER: The firefighter & explorer put on a Prime rib, salmon or Stuffed Chicken breast dinner for the Ladies Aux. at their Christmas party in December. 25 ladies attended.

 CAN YOU BE SEEN? Many of you jog and/or walk along the road. It has come to our attention that many of you CANNOT be seen. Some wear dark clothing or ride some type of motorized chair/device with NO REFLECTIVE or LIGHT COLORS ON that could endanger your life. Also carry some type of ID and emergency notification information with you. PLEASE wear something reflective – Lime-Yellow with reflective tape should work. 

 FACEBOOK: “Like us” Rush Volunteer Fire Department. There are health & safety messages posted, breaking news on incidents, congratulations to our members, photos  and much more. Check it out.  The WEB SITE  is www.RushFD.org