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BIG FLATS VOLUNTEER FIRE CO INC

BIG FLATS, NY · EIN 900641241 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · bigflatsfd.org
revenue
$135K
expenses
$90K
net assets
$731K
employees
1
volunteers
12
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

PROVIDES FIRE PROTECTION AND SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF BIG FLATS, NEW YORK.

profile · synthesized from sources

Volunteer fire department providing fire protection, rescue, and emergency medical services to the Town of Big Flats, New York. Operates as a hybrid volunteer and paid-staff department with 24/7 EMT coverage. Responds to structural fires, medical emergencies, hazardous conditions, and aircraft incidents across a 25-square-mile district that includes residential, industrial, and wildland areas.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Aircraft Emergency Response
Participates in a multi-department airport task force to respond to aircraft emergencies at Elmira-Corning Regional Airport.
EMS Services
Operates a rescue vehicle staffed with EMTs for medical emergencies; responds to over 450 medical calls annually.
Fire Prevention and Community Education
Offers station tours, classroom training, fire extinguisher instruction, and participates in Fire Prevention Week activities.
Fire and Rescue Response
Provides 24/7 emergency response to fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous conditions, and natural disasters across a 25-square-mile district.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
    • Community Engagement and Youth Programs
      Sponsors Little League Baseball and Cinderella Softball teams as part of its community engagement efforts and hosts monthly public meetings and open houses to foster public involvement.
  • Nonprofit Organizational Management 1 activity
    • Fire District Governance and Budget Oversight
      Maintains a formal leadership structure of commissioners, chief officers, and company officers; prepares and publishes an annual budget; and conducts public hearings and informational meetings to gather community input on budget matters.
  • Fire Safety Education & Prevention 1 activity
    • Fire Prevention and Community Safety Education
      Conducts annual fire prevention activities during Fire Prevention Week, including school visits, classroom tours, station open houses, and customized presentations featuring fire safety videos, hands-on interaction with gear, and fire extinguisher training for community groups.
  • Volunteer Fire Department Services 1 activity
    • Fire and Emergency Response Services
      Provides fire suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services to residents within a 25-square-mile district in the Town of Big Flats, NY, responding to an average of twice per day. Operates multiple apparatus including fire engines, a tower ladder, tanker, brush trucks, and rescue vehicles for structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, EMS incidents, and hazardous conditions.
  • Emergency Response Vehicle Operations 1 activity
    • Firefighter Training and Operational Readiness
      Conducts structured training drills twice per month to maintain firefighter and medical response competencies in accordance with NFPA and OSHA standards, including participation in Waterball events for hose-handling proficiency and FAA-mandated full-scale airport disaster drills every three years.
  • Mutual Aid Emergency Response 1 activity
    • Specialized Emergency Response Operations
      Provides specialized response capabilities including hazardous materials incidents, water and ice rescue operations on the Chemung River and other open water bodies, and aircraft emergency support through participation in the Airport Task Force at Elmira/Corning Regional Airport.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$135K
Contributions & grants$30K22%
Program service revenue$33K24%
Investment income$25K18%
Other revenue$48K
expenses
Total expenses$90K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$646
Grants paid out$300
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$756K
Cash$335K
Investments$0
Liabilities$25K
Net assets$731K
Liquid reserves44.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +12.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 5
  • BENJAMIN FESETCH — PRESIDENT
  • CAROL CHRISTIAN — TREASURER
  • NICHOLAS HARVEY — TRUSTEE
  • SABRINA FESETCH — SECRETARY
  • ZACHARY ZIEGENHAGEN — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 9

Who they work with

  • Chemung County Emergency Management Office Government — Partnered with for centralized Enhanced 9-1-1 dispatch services since 1998.
  • Elmira-Corning Regional Airport Partner — Participates in a multi-department airport task force and serves as backup for aircraft emergency response at the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport.
  • Elmira/Corning Regional Airport Partner — Participates in joint emergency response and training activities through the Airport Task Force.
  • Fire Prevention Week Coalition — Participates in National Fire Prevention Week activities annually.
  • Fortuna Energy Partner — Donated a 2008 Polaris Ranger 4×4 used for brush fires and remote access.
  • Kathy Johnston Government — Designated point of contact for public records requests on behalf of the Big Flats Fire Department.
  • Norfolk-Southern Railroad Government — Responds to emergencies involving the Norfolk-Southern Railroad within the fire district.
  • Town of Big Flats Government — Coordinates with the Town Clerk's office to make the proposed fire district budget available for public inspection.
  • Town of Big Flats Government — Fire department serves the citizens of the Town of Big Flats.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Centered Emergency Response
    methodology: community-centered emergency response
    By anchoring emergency response in local knowledge and presence, the organization improves readiness and trust, because proximity and community integration enable faster, more context-aware interventions during fire and EMS incidents.
  • Experiential Training and Learning
    methodology: experiential-training
    By using hands-on, interactive methods such as Waterball games and live demonstrations, the department builds practical skills and public awareness, because experiential engagement produces deeper retention and readiness in both firefighters and community members.
  • Geographic Risk-Based Specialization
    methodology: geographic-risk-based specialization
    By specializing in water and ice rescue operations, the department enhances community-specific preparedness, because local risk factors such as lakes and winter conditions make these capabilities critical for effective emergency response in the region.