+$217,000 In H.E.R.R.O.’s Awarded 

Volunteer Emergency Responders Encouraged To Apply!

New City, NY – County Executive Ed Day and Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear have awarded and reimbursed over $217,000 in college tuition to 107 emergency volunteers under the Higher Education Recruitment & Retention Opportunities, or H.E.R.R.O. program. In 2023, the County of Rockland launched the college tuition assistance program for volunteer fire fighters and emergency responders.

“To our first responders know that we appreciate all that you do, and this is our way of saying thank you,” said County Executive Ed Day.

“These programs are a great way to assist fire departments and ambulance corps in recruiting and retaining volunteers,” explained Fire and Emergency Services Director Chris Kear. “Supporting our volunteers is also crucial to maintaining these voluntary services which save taxpayers a lot of money.”

Some of those individuals include Lauren Hahnenfeld (pictured above), a 22-year-old Nanuet Community Ambulance volunteer. Hahnenfeld was reimbursed $9,000 for her nursing degree at William Patterson College.

“Because I want to be an emergency nurse, I always wanted to do EMS so the H.E.R.R.O. program helped me graduate nursing school without any debt,” said Hahnenfeld.

EMS agencies respond annually to over 40,000 calls per year and fire departments respond to over 9,000 calls per year. Both industries have been experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining volunteers, and the County of Rockland launched this program both as an incentive for county residents to serve as a volunteer first responder and as a thank you to those already serving.

Dave Kryger (pictured above) had been a volunteer firefighter for more than 30 years when the County H.E.R.R.O. Program launched in 2023. The 52-year-old Volunteer Hose West Haverstraw volunteer firefighter is now an online student at SUNY Oswego and has received $8,850 in reimbursements so far for his bachelor's degree.

“I was volunteering already and wanted to go back to school so why not take advantage of the H.E.R.R.O. program that is provided by the County for tuition reimbursement,” explained Kryger. “It’s great; The fact the County is willing to help cover that cost is tremendous.”

The County encourages Fire & EMS volunteers to learn more about the program on our website.

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