To the Neighbors of t
he Gates-Chili Fire Department:
Our Fire Department was founded when a group of citizens volunteered in what was then the rural Town of Gates. They were highly motivated at the time. Two children had perished in a house fire in 1923 on Evelyn Street and there were no Gates firefighters to save them.
The citizens realized that if they didn’t do something to provide fire protection in Gates, no one would.
Our community has a long and rich history of citizens stepping forward for the public good. And none is more steeped in American tradition than the volunteer fire department.
The Gates-Chili Fire Department began as a grassroots effort by townspeople who accepted the call to volunteer for the protection and safety of their neighbors. Over the past eight decades, we have grown and improved to a point that our founders could have scarcely imagined. Yet the core principle of the fire department has never changed—we are volunteers helping our neighbors.
Today, the Gates-Chili Fire Department needs you!
Please accept our invitation to attend one of our upcoming Volunteer Recruiting Presentations as we begin our Spring 2015 Membership Campaign. Our goal is to recruit 20 new volunteers.
We would like to explain the benefits of membership in our fire department, one of the oldest and most respected community organizations in Gates. We would like to provide you with a tour of your fire stations and equipment and give you an overview of the qualifications to become a volunteer firefighter and the instruction that we will provide to you, free of charge.
Your benefits will include the deep sense of satisfaction that comes from serving your community and helping to preserve life and property. And your volunteer membership will help us assure that fire protection in the Town of Gates remains at the highest level for years to come while keeping our property taxes as low as possible.
In addition, the membership campaign has an additional goal of recruiting 20 teens between the ages of 14 and 18 to join our Gates Fire Explorer Post No. 272. Explorers have the opportunity to learn about the fire service through hands-on activities. Many of our members and officers got their start through the Explorer Program. If you have—or know—of a high-school-age student who would be interested, please invite them to attend one of the information sessions, as well. Explorer advisors will be on hand to provide a special program for them.
If you’ve ever thought about community service, and if you’ve ever thought about joining the Gates-Chili Fire Department, now is the best time. Our next recruit class begins on early February.
And if you just aren’t sure if becoming a volunteer firefighter is the right thing for you, please join us at one of our Recruiting Presentations simply to see the fire stations and equipment. We’re ready to answer questions and open our state-of-the-art facilities for your inspection. We look forward to meeting you.
Yours truly,
Steve Giverson – Recruitment Coordinator
Questions? Call 202-1584 and ask for Lieutenant Steve Giverson. You can also visit our HQ @ 2355 Chili Avenue if you have any questions.
Our application also is available above our website, just click ‘Recruiting, and Volunteer now!’