SCHUMER ANNOUNCES OVER $65,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR GOUVERNEUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, INC. IN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

Federal Funding Will Be Used to Bolster Safety and Operations 

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer today announced $65,286 in federal funding for Gouverneur Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. in St. Lawrence County. The funding was allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. Specifically, the Gouverneur Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. will use the funding to upgrade vital communication systems.  

“It is essential that we provide our firefighters with the tools they need to do their jobs effectively,” said Senator Schumer. “Our first responders are our local heroes and our primary line of defense for safety and security—it is critical that we do all we can to ensure that they are well equipped and prepared to take on any emergency.”

“The AFG program is very beneficial and we hope it stays fully funded. It allows us to purchase equipment that our department would not be able to afford without assistance from the federal government,” Thomas Conklin, Fire Chief.  

The Assistance to Firefighters Grants are administered by the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the Department's United States Fire Administration. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis to the applicants that most closely address the program's priorities and demonstrate financial need.  More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program can be accessed at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

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