Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY)

Overview

It was a pleasant afternoon in August of 1872 as the parade moved along the main street of Auburn, N.Y. A state convention of a benevolent organization had just concluded one of its annual meetings and the members were passing review of the town folk. A group of local volunteer firemen stood on the curb watching, when one of them, whose name history does not record, spoke up, asking: “Why not have a firemen’s convention?” Little did any of those boys realize at the time that this chance remark would provide the incentive for the formation of what was to become one of the largest organizations in the state.