Sixty volunteer fire departments throughout the State of Connecticut participated in Volunteer Firefighter Day on Sunday, April 23, including Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company and Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company.To learn more about the companies in Newtown that participated in Volunteer Firefighter Day this year visit Hawleyville Fire's official website at hawleyvillefire.com or Dodgingtown Fire's at dodgingtownfire.com.

Both local fire companies celebrated the occasion by hosting open houses, from 10 am to 2 pm, where the public was invited to get a tour of the stations and fire trucks, as well as meet members of the companies and learn about the work they do.

The open houses were also a chance for people interested in volunteering with the companies to stop by and learn about how to become a member.

Dodgingtown Chief Steve Murphy said that his company had about 20 visitors stop by the firehouse at 55 Dodgingtown Road on Volunteer Firefighter Day to show their support. His 30-member volunteer team is still looking for new recruits to join the company.

Hawleyville Chief John Basso said his company currently has about 35 members, some who travel from neighboring towns like Brookfield just to volunteer. Hawleyville's station is at 34 Hawleyville Road.

"We didn't recruit any new members," Chief Basso said about the turnout on Firefighter Volunteer Day. "But we are hoping people will still come forward."

For those who may have missed this year's open house, but are still interested in joining a volunteer fire company, there is always time to help out.

Volunteers must be 16 years old or older to join and do not necessarily have to live in the same company district of Newtown they volunteer with.

In addition to seeking firefighters, both volunteer fire companies expressed that they are also looking to bring in people with a variety of skills and abilities.

Dodgingtown Chief Murphy explained, "Not everybody is going to be putting on an air pack and going inside the buildings. Even if they go to a fire as a firefighter, there's only a couple people actually inside putting the fire out. There are so many other activities that have to be done at the same time."

"It's a businesses, so you have all different types of jobs that need to be done - administrative, firefighting," Hawleyville Chief Basso said. "What we are trying to do is break that up so our firefighters that do the training in firefighting don't have to do all the administrative work, too."

Filling administrative positions is an important piece of the business for which they are seeking members. These volunteer opportunities can include writing reports, continuing with recruiting, and helping fundraising capabilities.

In Connecticut, more than 80 percent of all fire personnel are volunteers and depend greatly on residents' support. The men and women of volunteer fire companies respond to emergencies whenever called upon, and ultimately rely heavily on donations.

"Financially it's a very big strain to keep the fire department going with the cost of the equipment, the training," Hawleyville Chief Basso said.

Making a monetary donation to local volunteer fire companies makes a difference in the lives of those helping the town, as well as the town itself.

Spreading the word in person or through social media is also beneficial to supporting local fire companies.

"If they can't join, they can get their neighbors to join," Dodgingtown Chief Murphy said.

The town of Newtown has five independent volunteer fire companies who all welcome new members.

For more information about how to join the local volunteer fire companies, respectively call Dodgingtown Fire Company at 203-270-4386; Hawleyville Fire Company at 203-270-4389; Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company Inc at 203-270-4392; Botsford Fire Rescue at 203-270-4397; or Newtown Hook & Ladder at 203-270-4383.