By Lohr McKinstry
The Press-Republican

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.Y. — Intensified training requirements may be driving a sharp decline in the number of volunteer firefighters and emergency-medical technicians in Essex County.

County Emergency Services Director Donald Jaquish said Monday that the number of active volunteer firefighters has dropped from 1,400 to about 1,000 in the last few years.

"This could become a crisis."

Full story: The state's basic Firefighter I course is more than 80 hours of training