RICHMONDVILLE - The Richmondville Volunteer Fire Department appears to be healthy and thriving.

A report given by Fire Chief Floyd Seales at the Monday, April 20 Village of Richmondville Board of Trustees meeting highlighted several recent positives at the department. Seales recently submitted the department's latest annual report to Village Clerk-Treasurer Jenifer Fisher.

The department received two grants during the period from April 2025 to April 2026 which enabled it to purchase a second Jaws of Life to use in auto extrications and more turnout gear for firefighters, Seales noted. It responded to 87 fire calls during the period, he added.

Membership, including support services, grew by nine people during the past year and support services are now up to 17 women. The department upgraded the garage doors at the firehouse on Main Street in the village, did some drainage work and is working on installing an indoor exhaust system, the chief stated.

In addition, Seales said that officials from SUNY Cobleskill recently asked him to give orientation talks to new students on when, where and how to properly charge cellphones to best protect against starting a fire. He recently touched on that and several other things related to battery safety and overall fire protection during a public program at the firehouse last month.

Seales continued that the department is in a position to lend help beyond the normal scope of a volunteer fire department. 

As an example, he said "we would be glad to shovel someone's sidewalk so they can get to a doctor's appointment. Rather than have something happen and end up having to do a body recovery."

In other news from the April 20 meeting, Assistant Public Works Department Superintendent Mark Temp reported a request from the crossing guard at Radez Elementary School to paint the small crossing guard shelter in front of the school in the school colors. The board voted to approve the request but agreed it would be better for safety purposes to have someone other than the crossing guard do the painting.

The shelter is within the Main Street right-of-way and is owned by the village, not the Cobleskill-Richmondville School District. The board on the recommendation of Temp also voted to hire a youth as extra help for the Public Works Department during the summer, or possibly sooner. The youth is home schooled, and so has some time flexibility and is "chompin' at the bit" to get going, Temp said. He sat in at the April 20 meeting for Public Works Superintendent Eric Jones, who was unable to attend.

The board voted 4-1 to approve the purchase of a surveillance camera for the hallway inside the municipal building as an added safety measure for Fisher, Deputy Clerk Alia Harwood and other village employees who at times have had to deal with irate customers of Richmondville Power & Light or others coming into the building with a complaint.

The only no vote was from Trustee Milan Jackson, who stressed to Fisher that the vote "was not because I don't care about you, believe me."

The board held off for now on a proposal to also purchase a panic button that could be used in the event Fisher or Harwood or another employee face a volatile situation but aren't able to use a telephone to call for help. 

Mayor Carl Warner Jr. stressed that he wants everyone to be safe but observed that a panic button installed under the counter where Fisher and Harwood work would not help in the event they aren't near the counter when something happens.

"I'd like to know if anyone else (other towns or villages) does it," Warner said of a panic button. "Maybe just a little more research as far as a panic button."

Fisher reported the village has advertised for lifeguards for the upcoming summer season at the village pool behind Radez Elementary. It was suggested that fliers be distributed at Cobleskill-Richmondville High School as a further means of letting people know of the need for the positions.

Village officials are attempting to get enough lifeguards to possibly avoid a situation like last summer where the pool was forced to close in fairly early August, earlier than normal, because of a lack of staff. Fisher said those interested in a lifeguard job can fill out an application on the village website. Anyone interested and has questions can call her at the village office at 518-294-6681.

Village Pool lifeguards must be at least 15 years old. They were paid $15.50 an hour last summer but Fisher and Mayor Warner said an hourly rate for this coming summer has not been determined yet.