SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $350,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THREE HUDSON VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Funding Will Be Used To Purchase Safety Equipment & Protective Gear For Firefighters
Hudson Valley, N.Y. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $349,610 in federal funding for three fire departments in Hudson Valley. The funding was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. Specifically, the Roosevelt Fire District in Dutchess County will receive $270,090 to purchase new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air packs. The Loch Sheldrake Fire District in Sullivan County will receive $42,377 to install a diesel exhaust system for the fire station. The Dutchess Junction Fire District in Dutchess County will receive $37,143 to upgrade old equipment.
“With this funding, our Hudson Valley firefighters can focus on their critical, life-saving work knowing they have new and reliable protective equipment,” said Senator Schumer. “Our first responders are our local heroes and our primary line of defense – it is crucial we provide them with the resources and up-to-date tools they need to continue their important work of saving lives.”
“These federal funds will allow our fire departments to purchase the up-to-date equipment they need to do their jobs effectively and stay safe while they are protecting our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We need to do everything we can to protect the men and women who risk their lives every day in the face of danger, and I will always fight in the Senate to make sure that our fire departments are funded and equipped.”
“With this grant award, we will be able to completely replace our SCBA, spare tanks, and firefighter rescue equipment with the latest in safety advances and technology,” said Daniel E. Nichols, Chief of the Roosevelt Fire District.
“The board of Fire Commissioners and the members of the Loch Sheldrake Fire department want to thank Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Todd Felter (Service Rep for Congressman Chris Gibson) for their help in the award for a grant, to furnish and install a diesel exhaust system for our firehouse. This system will remove and help eliminate unhealthy fumes from the fire apparatus, making a healthier environment for our firefighters and the public,” said Ben Campanaro, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners Loch Sheldrake Fire District.
“This federal grant will help us defer costs that would otherwise fall on local taxpayers,” said Dutchess Junction Fire District Deputy Chief Thomas Williams. “We will use the funding to bring equipment up to NFPA regulations and safety standards.”
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. Funding is allocated to strengthen the overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and related hazards. More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program can be accessed at http://www.fema.gov/
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