The NYSAFC Nominations & Elections Committee has announced the association’s 2026-2027 officers. They will be installed on June 13 during the 120th Annual Conference in Syracuse.

Members of the association will vote on proposed changes presented by the Constitution & By-Laws Task Force at the 120th Annual Conference in Syracuse. 

NYSAFC is honored to welcome Chief of Training Michael Meyers (Fire Department City of New York) as the Keynote Speaker for the 120th Annual Conference & FIRE 2026 Expo. The Keynote Address “How to Lead from the Front – Using Strength, Intellect, Positivity, and Resilience” will be delivered on June 11, 12:00 p.m., and is open to all attendees. Please note the new schedule for this year's General Session proceedings – 10:00 – 1:00 p.m. at The Oncenter Ballroom in Syracuse.

If you missed this special program at the Long Island Metro Fire/EMS Expo, NYSAFC is pleased to announce the conversation will continue at the 120th Annual Conference & FIRE 2026 Expo with an expanded panel! Legendary FDNY leaders Chiefs Vincent Dunn, Frank Leeb, John Norman, Thomas Richardson, and John Salka will come together on June 11, 5:00 p.m., for a talk about fire service leadership strategies, professional development, cultural changes, advancing technologies, and more. This event is open to all attendees in The Oncenter Ballroom.

Codes Training will be held on June 10 & 11 during the NYSAFC Conference & Expo in Syracuse. Personnel can earn 12 hours (6 per day) through this program, helping officials fulfill their mandatory 24-hour annual total of in-service training requirements for 2026. Students can register for training on one or both days. Includes breakfast, lunch, and Conference Full Term Registration.

As we mark 25 years since September 11, join us as we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on that day. The Climb & Walk will be held on June 12 at Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial during the Conference & Expo in Syracuse. If you can’t participate in the climb/walk but are attending FIRE 2026, register to show your support by taking part in a Conference Participant Walk as you tour the exhibit floor (June 11-13). This event benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and FDNY Counseling Services Unit.

The program now reimburses volunteer firefighters for completing five additional training courses. More than 4,000 volunteer firefighters have successfully completed training through the program since 2023.

NYSAFC says volunteer ranks have dropped, creating dangerous staffing shortages and public safety risks. Legislation has been proposed that would allow fire districts to give stipends to volunteer firefighters.

First responders like firefighters are seeing soaring costs and increased risks under New York’s trial-lawyer friendly car accident liability laws, Governor Kathy Hochul charged.

A vote to discharge the bill from the Assembly Ways & Means Committee failed 51-83.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reopen National Memorial site May 2-3 for ceremonies honoring firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

Andrew A. Fredericks, who was lost in the line of duty on September 11, was honored during FDIC 2026 as the Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

Firefighters trapped in a burning Bronx firehouse in Bedford Park were rescued by other firefighters using ground ladders and an aerial ladder.

After months of discussion, the Hemlock Fire District commissioners have made plans to dissolve and consolidate with the Livonia Joint Fire District.

Volunteer fire departments across the Finger Lakes and Central New York are facing increasing pressure as staffing shortages, rising call volumes, and structural changes reshape how emergency services are delivered.

Mayor says any decision will focus on improving fire and EMS services, or saving taxpayer money, without sacrificing safety.

Auburn neighbors have expressed fear as to what the city could look like if city departments see cuts to staff. This comes during a budget crisis for the city.

Oceanic Hook & Ladder and Richmond Engine responded to more than 2,000 emergencies in 2025, but leaders say the two Staten Island volunteer companies are struggling to cover basic costs.

New Medicaid Reimbursement: EMS "Treat-in-Place" (TIP) in New York.

Photos from this year's Long Island Metro Fire/EMS Expo are available! Check out highlights from the exhibit floor and the classroom at the event hosted by the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs and Islip Town Fire/EMS Museum Educational Center. Special thanks to Chase Millwater, Myles Quinn, and Fully Involved Media for their photo contributions. Save the date for next year's expo – February 4-7 at Nassau Coliseum!

A memorial honoring former Fishers Fire District Chief Andy Stromfeld has found a new home at the Canandaigua Fire Department, months after the district’s dissolution left its future uncertain.

Five high school seniors will graduate in June from a two-year Jefferson-Lewis BOCES emergency medical services program, becoming the first class to complete the training.

There’s a major push to recruit the younger population of volunteer firefighters.

As deputy chief of the Goldens Bridge Fire Department, Robert Melillo knows how to handle the big rigs, but in the last few weeks, his SUV has been the life-saving apparatus.

View the NYSAFC calendar of events.