On Saturday, April 9, more than 60 volunteer fire departments throughout the state will celebrate the start of National Volunteer Week (April 10-16) by holding Recruitment Open Houses.

Eighty percent of all fire personnel in Connecticut are volunteers, and the majority of fire departments throughout the state are experiencing a volunteer shortage. Local fire departments need volunteers of all skill levels and abilities, people willing and able to respond to emergencies whenever called upon. Support volunteers such as fire police, administrative assistants, et al, are also needed.

Hawleyville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue will be participating in the special event by opening the doors to their fire stations from 10 am until 2 pm. Visitors to both locations will be able to talk with volunteer firefighters about the work they do, explore fire apparatus and turnout gear, get a tour of the fire house, and fill out an application.

Hawleyville's station is at 34 Hawleyville Road. For more information, visit hawleyvillefire.com or find the company on Facebook (Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company #1).

Sandy Hook's main station is at 18-20 Riverside Road. For more information visit sandyhookfire.com or find the company on Facebook (Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue).

Volunteer Firefighter Day is part of Everyday Hero CT, a program dedicated to increasing the number of volunteer firefighters throughout the state. A partnership of the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association (CFCA) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the Everyday Hero CT campaign is a two-year Volunteer Workforce Solutions initiative designed to address the shortage of volunteer firefighters in Connecticut. It is helping achieve a viable and sustainable volunteer firefighter workforce for Connecticut fire departments.

Everyday Hero CT is funded by a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant awarded to the CFCA by the US Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to develop a model to enhance the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.