HARD TIMES HIT FIREMEN'S HOME
Mike McCagg
ccSCOOP News
03-10-09 - The economic hard times that have rocked the country are causing concerns over the fate of one of the jewels of Columbia County.
The Firemen’s Home, operated by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), has been struck by financial woes, leading the home’s leadership to take steps to reduce costs and worrying area residents. |
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Employees and local firefighters have expressed concern about the long-term viability of the home, which opened in a new 126,000-square-foot, $25 million-plus facility on its Harry Howard Avenue campus in June 2007. The home has been located in Hudson since 1892.
Officials are tight-lipped, but a FASNY spokesman told ccSCOOP that efforts have been undertaken to reduce costs at the 92-bed home and to ensure the long-term operation of the facility. Some area residents—who declined to be identified—indicated that the cost-saving efforts have included staff reductions and a cutback in services.
When contacted by ccSCOOP, FASNY spokesman Robert Leonard issued a statement from association President Thomas Cuff:
“This worldwide fiscal crisis has caused our Board of Directors to look inward at our Association and the way we conduct our business, including the operations of the Home in Hudson. We have implemented a number of changes both across our Association and at the Home to meet the challenges posed by these tough economic conditions.
“We will continue to find ways to cut costs and make all aspects of our operations more efficient. At the Home, it is our goal to make these changes in areas which will have no tangible impact on our members or their care.”
Leonard did state that neither FASNY nor the Firemen’s Home lost money as a result of the billion-dollar Ponzi scheme allegedly concocted by former Wall Street investor Bernard Madoff. Rather, he said, the losses are purely the result of the decreased value of investments.
The Fireman’s Home is funded through donations, a fee paid by out-of-state insurers to fire companies, Medicare reimbursement, and resident fees or property turned over to the home when a resident enters. Additionally, fire companies and firematic organizations around the state conduct fundraisers and activities to benefit the home. The home is open to all volunteer firefighters and their spouses in New York State. |
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The new $25-million, 92-bed facility at the Firemen's Home, which opened in June 2007, was described by members and visitors at the opening ceremony as being "like a five-star hotel."
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Leonard would not be specific about actions now being taken to reduce costs or what the future actions may include. He also declined to say how much money the home lost in the stock market tumble. He stressed that FASNY is making every effort possible to “provide for our Firemen’s Home, and continue the high level of care of its members, just as we have since 1892.”
Editor's Note: After our story first appeared on Tuesday, Craig Wittman, administrator for the Firemen's Home, contacted ccSCOOP to offer assurances that the home remains viable. He asserted that no mass layoffs are planned and said he had no idea how the rumors about layoffs and cutbacks got started. —CO
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