The department hosted its annual (close to) Mother’s Day firemen’s pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to noon Sunday. A total of 148 guests showed up, according to Sandy Paven, the PSGVFD’s treasurer.

For $15, or $8 for children under 12, attendees had access to an unlimited buffet, which included pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, home fries and other offerings cooked up that morning by firefighters.

“It’s a great time for the community to come together,” Paven said. “Life is busy, so it’s nice for people to come and sit down for a couple of hours and run into people that they haven’t seen in a bit — that’s great.”

She said it was a strong turnout and exceeded last year’s numbers — a welcome trend for the department, which used proceeds from the pancake breakfast to help pay for a new second-hand truck they recently acquired.

Jaime, Steven, Laah and Amanda Vincent smile outside of the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department’s station on Sunday after partaking in the department’s pancake breakfast. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Paven said small fire departments face a harsh financial picture when it comes to getting new trucks or gear, even as they provide a vital public service.

“The reality is the equipment is so expensive,” she said. “A brand new truck is a million dollars, we could never afford it.”

Small departments like PSGVFD often rely on community support to balance their budgets.

“It’s crazy, but that’s how small departments like ours stay afloat,” she said.

Paven said Paul Smith’s College student members are a “vital” part of the department, and it has helped keep their recruitment numbers steady admit a troubling nationwide decline.

From left, Mary Alex, Sloane Kelley, Stephanie Murphy, Kathleen Murphy and Steve Alex smile at the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department’s pancake breakfast on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

“We’re really lucky because we have the college kids,” she said. “Right now, about half of our department is college kids.”

Paven said the PSGVFD’s next fundraising event will be a taco and hot dogs drive-thru event on Saturday, May 24 at the station, with more pancake breakfasts slated to return in the fall.

Paul Smiths-Gabriels volunteer firefighters Devan Snickles, Jacob O’Brien and Braeden Lummel smile at the department’s pancake breakfast held at the station on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Members of the Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department attended the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department’s pancake breakfast on Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

Paul Smiths-Gabriels’ volunteer firefighters cooked up a hearty selection of offerings for the department’s buffet-style fundraiser Sunday. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)