Volunteer Firefighters Needed in Lake Katrine, New York

Lake Katrine, NY -- People who live under the watchful eye of Ulster Hose Company No. 5 and its volunteer firefighters are luckier than most residents in the mid-Hudson.

The chrome gleams on the six candy-apple red fire trucks lined up inside the firehouse bays. A crowd of volunteer firefighters mills about.

"We have about 60 active volunteers," Ulster Hose fire Chief Ed Molinaro said yesterday. "A couple guys live right across the street."

Many departments aren't so lucky. They scrounge for volunteers and equipment. And when the alarm sounds, it can take quite a few minutes for departments to respond. Often, the trucks are understaffed.

In fact, only 35 percent of all fire departments