Hanna: SERVE Act to Encourage Citizens to Become Volunteer Emergency Responders

U.S. Representative Richard Hanna spoke about his plan to give volunteer fireman and EMS volunteers a $1,000 income tax credit during a visit Thursday in Oxford.

Hanna believes the Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts Act would give greater incentive to join a volunteer fire department and increase numbers of emergency personnel.

"We see a lot of it in places like Oxford and all throughout the district that are having more and more problems finding new recruits and younger people," Hanna said. "Part of that is because it's expensive to come and go. A lot of them are rural communities with miles to travel."

Hanna says the bill has bi-partisan support in Congress and should pass as there are countless rural areas in New York that rely on volunteer efforts