If your neighbor's house caught fire, wouldn't you want to do more than watch?
Of course you would. And we'd like to offer a suggestion: become a volunteer fire fighter.
It's a great way to do something important for your community and for yourself.
But to be a volunteer fire fighter, you'll need more than just a desire to help people.
You'll also need courage and dedication, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn new skills and face new challenges.
If you think you qualify for this kind of job, come down to the fire station and talk to us.
Watching can be a helpless feeling. We don't have to tell you what kind of a feeling you'll get from helping.

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History

Organized in October of 1957, the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company serves both the village and town of Whitehall, New York. Situated on the southern tip of Lake Champlain, the "Volunteers" maintain an Ice Surface/Cold Water/Swift Water Rescue Team that sees action on Lake Champlain, EastBay, South Bay, the Champlain Barge Canal, and the northeast side of Lake George. Whitehall borders the Adirondack Park and maintains a Search and Rescue Team trained by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Rangers. The company is housed in two adjoining buildings. The oldest one is the original Whitehall Fire Department building erected in 1913. The firefighters lounge houses the original brass fire pole and Gamewell alarm system. Since 1981, the company has sponsored Fire Explorer Post #48, a group of high school students.

Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company Incorporated proudly protects 4500 people living in an area of 30 square miles. We operate out of one station that protects a primarily rural area. Our department is a public department whose members are on a volunteer status.

Although organized as a village fire company, the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company serves both the Town and Village of Whitehall. Our fire company borders five other departments with whom we have mutual aid agreements, along with the remaining twenty-six fire departments in Washington County and six fire departments in nearby Vermont State (three miles away). Since 1981, we have maintained a Fire Explorer Post for high school students, through the Boy Scouts of America. Many of our members and current officers were exposed to firefighting through this program.

Over the last fifteen years, it has been difficult to keep members. Thirty years ago, there was a constitutional limit of seventy-five firefighters, and a waiting list existed to get in. Today, no such limits are necessary. Continual turn-over due to the personal demands of being a volunteer firefighter, have limited our ability to find volunteers that are willing to commit to weekly training, fund-raising, monthly meetings, and being on call 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Our volunteer firefighters provide cost effective fire protection and emergency services to the citizens of our community, and we need to provide them with a safe work environment. Loss of manpower through injury, results in one less firefighter able to respond to the next call. It is in our interest to provide our firefighters with the best equipment, technology, and job safety enhancements as they face life threatening personal danger for the benefit of their neighbors.

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Geographic Area and Locale

Whitehall, New York is situated just outside the Adirondack Park, at the southern tip of Lake Champlain and at the northern discharge of the Champlain Barge Canal. We are responsible for a response area of approximately of seventy two (72) square miles, serving over seven thousand (7,000) people. Two major state routes (Rte.’s 4 & 22), and two railroads, (Canadian Pacific & Vermont Railway), maintaining freight and passenger service into Vermont and upstate New York several times daily. Whitehall is centered between busy tourist destinations such as Lake George, Lake Champlain, Fort Ticonderoga in New York; Lake St. Catherine, Lake Bomoseen, Manchester, Dorset, Rutland and major ski areas such as Killington and Pico in Vermont. Whitehall’s Lake Champlain and South Bay are noted for their sport fishing. Many fishing tournaments are held both summer and winter.

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Contact Information

E-mail WVFC

Whitehall Volunteers

Web address

www.whitehallvolunteers.8k.com

Office phone

518-499-0720

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