DAN KADISON
Courtesy of The New York Post

Suburban fire departments are being doused with a grim reality - the scenes of Sept. 11 and its death toll have hurt the recruitment of future volunteers. Departments had expected an upswing in volunteerism in the New York area after the World Trade Center attack, but "the spike just hasn’t happened," said Heather Schafer, executive director for the National Volunteer Fire Council.

In Connecticut, New Jersey and Long Island, smoke-eating supervisors are scratching their heads - surprised that new recruits haven’t swamped station houses.

"I expected it would create a real need for people to come out and say, ‘What could I do?' " said Andy Ouellette, the recruitment-hotline coordinator for Connecticut.

"I’m kind of surprised. I thought it would create more interest."

While inquiries were up after Sept. 11, not many joined around the country, where 75 percent of all firefighters are unsalaried volunteers.

In Long Island, there was a 4 percent to 5 percent increase in new recruits for the first two months after the trade center attack, but the zeal to knock down blazes and be a line of defense against terrorism "leveled off," said Walter Monestere, ex-chief of the Freeport Fire Department.

"They realize the intensity of the job," Monestere said, adding, "It’s a dangerous position, but it’s a very rewarding position as well."

While Sept. 11 proved that firefighters are heroes, many think the images of the falling Twin Towers are scaring people.

"People . . . assume that when they contact the fire department, they’ll have to run into a burning building," said Schafer.

The heavy time commitment and a sluggish economy may also be discouraging recruits.

Family demands and working two jobs to get by leaves "little time to volunteer for the community," said Ouellette.