The number of volunteer firefighters in New York is now at a 40-year low, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

"The simple truth is this we can no longer guarantee that a fire truck or ambulance will arrive as quickly as the public expects or deserves," says David Denniston, vice president of the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York. "Many departments are resorting to multiple activations just to assemble a crew, if they can assemble one at all. Response times are increasing all across the state."

Officials say nearly a half-dozen firehouses across the state shut down last year, including the Floral Park Center Fire Department.

"We are here to protect lives. We do not want somebody to call our fire department, and we cannot get out," says firefighter Bill Theis, of the Terryville Fire Department.

Now, they're calling on state legislators to fund mandatory, on-duty personnel in firehouses.

"We are unable to incentivize or reimburse in any way the volunteers for the time, training and personal expenses required to serve because of state laws," says Denniston.

State lawmakers agree and say more volunteers are needed.

"We have to look at every possible way that we can get more volunteers at our firehouse," says District 22 Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages. "Just recently, the Floral Park Centre Fire Department closed, and so this is a great concern to me because now the impact is real. It's right in our community."

"We need to do everything we can to support these firehouses," says District 9 Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick. "There are some firehouses in my district that are seeing boosting of the younger generation coming into volunteer and that is something that we need to continue to advocate for, our youth and our young adults to join."

"To support them and bolster recruitment and retention efforts, the State must continue to build upon existing programs like the Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) and tuition assistance while also tackling the affordable housing crisis that continues to drive our young people off of Long Island," says District 1 Sen. Anthony Palumbo.

Some say a financial incentive could encourage people to volunteer.