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New York - The current economic crisis is negatively impacting fire departments in the state of New York, according to a comprehensive national survey of firefighters from nearly 9,500 fire departments or 30 percent of departments in the country, including 828 fire departments in New York.

“Supporting Safer Communities: A National Fire Service Survey” found that, specifically in New York, the top challenges facing

fire departments today are.

- More than three-quarters (76 percent) do not have adequate training for events involving terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.

- Sixty-nine percent agree that there have been delays in replacing equipment.

- Fifty-eight percent agree that there have been delays in purchasing new equipment.

- Fifty-seven percent do not have adequate training for hazardous materials incidences.

- More than half (51 percent) have had to increase fundraising efforts and/or grant writing because of budget cutbacks.

“When you consider that firefighters are the first responders to nearly every fire, medical emergency, and natural or man-made disaster in our local communities, it is imperative that we have adequate funding to ensure we keep our communities safe,” said Fire Chief Robert Farstad of the Schenectady Fire Department.

The study was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs based in New York. Nearly 17,500 firefighters from nearly 9,500 departments participated, 61 percent of which hold the rank of fire official (chief, captain or lieutenant).

Not all New York-area findings were grim.

- Ninety percent of fire departments have a thermal imaging camera, considered a critical tool to identify hot spots and locate injured or sleeping persons in a burning building.