Sujina Shrestha

While cities like New York and Albany employ paid crews, roughly 90% of the New York State firefighters are volunteers.

But Eugene Perry, president of the Firefighters Association of the state of New York, says recent living cost concerns have prevented people from signing up.

The association, whose membership includes the state's 80,000 volunteer firefighters, has launched a recruitment initiative to help fill depleted rosters.

For NPR News, I'm Sujina Shrestha in Albany.