Local firefighters depending more and more on mutual aid
Democrats, immigration collaborative to hold public forums
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We take a lot of things for granted in the North Country, but the service of volunteer firefighters may be the most significant.
I live less than a mile from Queensbury Central Fire Department. I’m sure that helps keep my homeowner’s association low, but I also know that when my smoke alarm went off in the past - thankfully it was not serious - the firemen were there within minutes.
I suspect that is the norm rather than the exception in the North Country.
The Washington County Freepress, an online news site under the umbrella of NYVT Media, reminded me of this last week with a story by Patrick Ward about how the shortage of volunteers is beginning to impact responses to fires.
Ward pointed out eight departments had to respond to a Granville fire recently, while only a few years ago, it would have required three.
That manpower is no longer there.
Ward reported that separate structure fires in Salem, Granville, Greenwich, Fort Edward and Kingsbury all required mutual aid recently.
That eventually leads to burnout for volunteers and even fewer firefighters
The North Granville Hose Co. fire chief told Ward the number of volunteers in local fire companies continues to decline despite robust recruitment efforts. The Firefighters Association of the State of New York says the number of volunteers is down by a third.
Local fire companies in rural areas are becoming more and more dependent on mutual aid.
Some solutions are being considered.
They have urged more study on both ideas.
FASNY says on its website it has “serious concerns that providing direct cash payments for service would create inequity and animosity between departments that can afford to do it and those that cannot.” It feared payments would drive new firefighters away from smaller departments with less resources.
But for the system to work, employers have to grant their volunteer employees the time to respond to fires. The community has to step up with more support as well. Most communities upstate are facing an age problem, but not all volunteers have to be firefighters. They can volunteer as drivers or fundraisers or help with maintenance at the firehouse.
This may be the most significant issue the North Country faces and one Sen. Dan Stec should be devoting all his time to.
So should Rep. Elise Stefanik.
It should be the priority of every elected upstate representative.
Dems forum
The Glens Falls Democrats will hold a public forum for its candidates for state office on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Crandall Public Library.
On hand will be Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, who represents the 113th district, state Senate candidate Melissa Seale (she is facing Sen. Dan Stec) and state Supreme Court justice candidate Christine M. Clarke (currently an appellate court judge).
All three women will be on the ballot in November.
No volunteers
On another front, officials in the town of Putnam are planning a public hearing on Thursday at 7 p.m. to see what the public thinks about abolishing the town’s Planning Board.
Not because it is not needed, but because town officials can’t find anyone to serve on it.
Town Supervisor Darlene Kerr told The Post-Star since they cannot find volunteers willing to serve on the Planning Board, she proposed giving those responsibilities to the Town Board.
Faith forum
The Adirondack Regional Immigration Collaborative will be hosting a “Faith Forum” called “Welcome the Stranger: A conversation on faith and immigration” on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, 227 Main St. in Hudson Falls.
It will feature Fr. Scott VanDerveer of St. Mary’s Church of Glens Falls, Rev. Dr. Natalie Wimberly of the First Baptist Church of Hudson Falls and Pastor Michael Plank of the First Presbyterian Church of Hudson Falls.
Downturn?
Forbes magazine reported last week that the United State lost 108,435 jobs in January. The U.S. also lost another 68,000 manufacturing jobs.
Also last week, a bipartisan group of 27 former Agriculture Department officials warned Congress about the damage being done to American farmers and pointed out that farmer bankruptcies had doubled and barely half of farms are even profitable.
They warned of a “widespread collapse of American agriculture and our rural communities.”
Union busting
Also last week, the Office of Personnel Management stripped civil service protections from 50,000 federal employees. This action allows nonpartisan civil servants to be replaced with loyalists to the current administration.
Trump vanity
President Trump is holding up funding for a $16 billion tunnel project underneath the Hudson River until Democrats agree to rename Penn Station (in New York City) and Dulles Airport (outside Washington, D.C.) after him.
Sen Chuck Schumer refused, after which Trump’s social media account accused Schumer of “holding up” the project.
Defending America
Olympic athletes are being put in the uncomfortable position of being asked to defend American policies undertaken by the Trump administration.
The New York Times reported that luger Summer Britcher said, “I just stay focused on the fact that there are a lot of really good people at home who I am proud to represent.”
When skier Mikaela Shiffrin was asked the same thing by a Norwegian journalist, she paused, then said it was “an honor and privilege” to compete for her country. She also said she wanted to represent “values of inclusivity, values of diversity and kindness.”
Then figure skater Amber Glenn said this, “I know that a lot of people say you’re just an athlete, like, stick to your job, shut up about politics, but politics affects us all.”
Who’s in charge?
The New York Times reported this fascinating exchange between federal judge Patrick J. Schiltz and a lawyer employed by ICE.
Schiltz criticized ICE for violating more than 100 judicial orders that included releasing people currently in custody.
“ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence,” Judge Schiltz wrote in his decision.
A lawyer on loan from another office but representing ICE told the judge the number of lawsuits filed by detained immigrants had become unmanageable.
“Fixing a system, a broken system, I don’t have a magic button to do it,” lawyer Julie T. Le, told the judge with frustration about ICE’s failure to abide by court orders to release those in custody.
“The system sucks. This job sucks,” Le said, and she suggested she be held in contempt so she could get some sleep.
More on Epstein
Consider this from Anand Giridharadas in an op-ed in the New York Times:
How did Mr. Epstein manage to pull so many strangers close? The emails reveal a barter economy of nonpublic information that was a big draw. This is not a world where you bring a bottle of wine to dinner.
“Inside dope wasn’t the only thing Mr. Epstein had on hand. The picture provided by the latest files shows how Mr. Epstein won favor and friendships by acting as a kind of superconcierge.
Lost and found
Years ago, a security officer in a school accidentally left his loaded pistol in a bathroom stall at an elementary school where it was found by a student.
A similar incident was repeated this week in New Orleans when a National Guard soldier left a rifle unattended inside a public French Quarter restroom. The rifle was returned.
A New Orleans television station reported a photo of an M4 rifle leaning against a wall next to a urinal in the Lafitte Hotel on Bourbon Street was shared on social media.
Ken Tingley spent more than four decades working in small community newspapers in upstate New York. Since retirement in 2020 he has written three books and is currently adapting his second book “The Last American Newspaper” into a play. He currently lives in Queensbury, N.Y.
Clearly Donald Trump has abandoned his claim to the Trump trademark as he asks random entities from arts centers to holes in the ground be named Trump.
In a spirit of cooperation I suggest that Mayor Mamdani rename the New York City sewer system and sewer treatment plant the Trump Sewer and Municipal Waste Network and the Trump Wastewater Treatment Center. Big gold letters would make Trump proud.
There are so many other opportunities to recognize the Trump name across America including local wastewater treatment facilities, urinals, and porta-potties.
In the spirit of cooperation Democrats should be demanding name changes to recognize the president. Go to local government meetings and take a few minutes to demand that these sorts of facilities be re-named in Trump’s honor and get it in the public record.
Interesting timing of your piece on volunteer fire companies...I just made a substantial donation to West Glens Falls Fire Company. I wasn't quite sure why I felt compelled to do it - just felt like it's easy to take their service for granted, easy to assume they'll always be there if one needs them...