TARRYTOWN – Westchester County Executive George Latimer welcomed hundreds of volunteer firefighters from across the state to Tarrytown on Wednesday to kick off the 150th annual convention of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY). The convention draws representatives from many of the more than 1,500 volunteer fire departments from across the state to one location each year.
Pleased that the convention was being held in Westchester, Latimer said the gathering impacts more than just Westchester. “When people think of this area, I don’t think they view it as a county,” he said, adding “They view this as a region.”
Noting that many visitors to the Hudson Valley spend time at Westchester attractions and then visit counties such as Orange, Ulster, and Dutchess to visit West Point, the Walkway Over the Hudson, the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, and other attractions, Latimer said conventions like this benefit the entire Hudson Valley.
“We are a regional destination outside of the city, but close enough where visitors can venture in to see a Yankees game,” the leader of Westchester said.
Calling for more of a regional effort to attract visitors in the post-pandemic era, Latimer said tourism “Benefits not just Westchester County but the entire Hudson Valley.”
