Firemen’s Association celebrates 150th anniversary by changing title to firefighters
ALBANY, N.Y. » As the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York begins its 150th anniversary year, the organization has updated its name, changing the word firemen to firefighters.
FASNY, which now stands for the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, was founded in 1872 when a group of firemen gathered in upstate New York and founded the association.
As FASNY prepared for the 150th anniversary of the Association in 2022, its leadership not only looked back at its history, but also began planning for the next 150 years.
“FASNY and the volunteer fire service have changed dramatically since our humble beginnings in 1872. We are very proud of our history,” FASNY president John Farrell said in a press release. “The Presidents and the Board of Directors view this special anniversary as an opportunity to honor our past, while simultaneously positioning FASNY for an even better future.”
Over the years, FASNY’s logos and symbols have evolved with time, but one thing remained a constant — the association’s name. At the December meeting of the board of directors, a motion was passed unanimously to update the association’s name from its historical 1872 origins to The Firefighters Association of the State of New York.
“We all felt it was time,” Farrell continued. “The volunteer fire service has grown and changed greatly from the late 19th century. While our original name was based on the fire service of 1872, our new name positions us for the 21st century.”
FASNY’s first vice president Edward Tase added, “We did not make this change lightly. We know and respect the great history of our association. We also know that our name, like our logos, symbols and actions, must represent today’s volunteer fire service.”
FASNY represents the interests of the 85,000 volunteer firefighters in New York state.
The association has already begun the process of updating its logos and signage to reflect the new name. As with any major change of this nature, it may take some time before it is in place in all applications.
More information about the Firefighters Association of the State of New York is available online at www.fasny.com.