When a loved one suffers a heart attack or is involved in an accident, our first response is to call 911 and anxiously wait for an ambulance or rescue truck to arrive. The same is true if we are the unfortunate victims of fire. Either through our personal experiences, or through hearing from our friends and family, we all know about these types of experiences. Luckily, for those of us who live in the Village of Farmingdale, and our surrounding communities, we have dedicated volunteers who are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to these types of tragedies. When 911 or the fire department receive calls that residents need assistance, these brave men and women immediately leave the safety and comfort of their homes to come to the aid of their neighbors. Remember that these volunteers run into buildings and situations that other people are running out of and away from.

I believe that the public needs to know that the fire department provides many services beyond fire and rescue calls. They provided fire prevention programs at our local elementary schools and hold open houses to increase community awareness of fire safety. In addition, they are the strongest supporters of community and patriotic events, lending pomp and pageantry, music and color guards to all parades and events. I can't imagine life here without them.

Our fire department volunteers also put in many hours that are not seen by the public. They undergo rigorous training and education, and are required to obtain certification and re-certification. They also maintain a fleet of rescue vehicles that our homes and our lives literally depend on. Yet our village fire department is completely voluntary. They do not receive any pay for their services. Because of the size of our village and surrounding communities, a fully staffed and salaried fire department is not feasible.

The village board, in our continuing effort to support our volunteer firefighters, recently passed a new law that provides a tax exemption on owner occupied real property owned by members of the village of Farmingdale Volunteer Fire Department. Qualified members can receive a 10 percent exemption on the assessed value of their village property, resulting in a 10 percent decrease in their village property tax. If a member actively serves the department for 20 years or longer, he or she is eligible for the exemption for the remainder of their lives. My administration and I hope that our volunteers will take advantage of this opportunity to save money on their village property taxes as a sign of the appreciation of all of our village residents.

I also take this opportunity to remind you that our village fire department currently has their annual fund drive underway. It is the one time during the year that the fire department is "ringing the bell" hoping that you will respond. I strongly encourage you to support our village fire department by making a donation. We cannot take for granted the work they do.