August 19, 2024

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $6.5 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS UPSTATE NY

Schumer Helped Create AFG & SAFER Programs, Which Help Train, Equip & Staff Fire Departments Across Upstate NY; Schumer Pushed To Re-Authorize Programs Earlier This Year To Support First Responders

Schumer, Gillibrand: Fed $$ From AFG & SAFER Is Preparing Upstate Firefighters To Take On Any Emergency

Today, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $6,451,148.56 in federal funding for fire departments across New York State. The funding will be used to help recruit, hire and train firefighters and provide protective gear and supplies to emergency personnel across 38 fire departments. This federal funding was administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs, which the senators fought hard to successfully preserve and fund earlier this year.

“From Lockport to Lisle, brave firefighters risk their lives on the frontlines every day to protect our communities,” said Senator Schumer. “This whopping almost $6.5 million will help fire departments across Upstate NY recruit, hire, and train firefighters and provide them with the protective gear and supplies they need to keep themselves and their communities safe. I stood with firefighters across Upstate NY to push for the reauthorization of the AFG and SAFER programs because I know how important it is for our first responders to be prepared. I’m grateful that the AFG and SAFER programs are now continuing to deliver results for Upstate NY.”

“Every day, New York’s firefighters work tirelessly to defend our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal funding of over $5.6 million will help fire departments across Upstate New York recruit, hire, and train new personnel, as well as acquire the necessary equipment, training, and resources to respond to emergency situations. I’m proud to deliver this funding and will continue fighting for New York fire departments and working to ensure they are well-equipped for both their safety and that of our communities.”

The announcement includes $5,363,456.56 for AFG grant recipients and $1,087,692.00 for SAFER grant recipients.

A list of funding recipients can be found below:

Region	Organization	City	County	Grant	Federal Funding
Hudson Valley	Quassaick Bridge Fire District	New Windsor	Orange	SAFER	$73,600.00
Hudson Valley	Vails Gate Fire Co	New Windsor	Orange	SAFER	$200,000.00
Hudson Valley	West Nyack Fire Engine Co No 1	West Nyack	Rockland	AFG	$549,523.80
Hudson Valley	City of Yonkers	Yonkers	Westchester	AFG	$807,545.45
Capital Region	New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services	Albany	Albany	AFG	$467,336.52
Capital Region	Red Rock Volunteer Fire Co, Inc	East Chatham	Columbia	AFG	$48,870.85
Capital Region	Sir William Johnson Volunteer Fire Company Inc	Johnstown	Fulton	AFG	$57,142.85
Capital Region	Niagara Engine Company No. 6, Inc.	Schoharie	Schoharie	AFG	$39,672.09
North Country	Rutland Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.	Black River	Jefferson	AFG	$71,257.73
North Country	Dickinson Fire District	Dickinson Center	Franklin	AFG	$52,571.42
Southern Tier	Centerville Memorial Fire Department Inc	Centerville	Allegany	AFG	$59,428.57
Southern Tier	Coopers Plains Long Acres Fire	Coopers Plains	Steuben	AFG	$56,571.42
Southern Tier	Varna Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.	Ithaca	Tompkins	AFG	$76,188.57
Southern Tier	Kirkwood Fire Co. Dist. No. 1, Inc.	Kirkwood	Broome	AFG	$6,363.63
Southern Tier	Lisle Fire Co Inc	Lisle	Broome	AFG	$46,666.66
Central New York	Oneida City of Fire Chiefs ofc	Oneida	Madison	AFG	$499,428.57
Central New York	City of Oswego offices Billing	Oswego	Oswego	AFG	$64,322.86
Central New York	Hastings Volunteer Fire Department Incorporated	Hastings	Oswego	AFG	$106,666.66
Central New York	Scipio Volunteer Fire Co Inc	Scipio Center	Cayuga	AFG	$114,285.71
The Mohawk Valley	North Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.	Blossvale	Oneida	AFG	$325,238.09
The Mohawk Valley	Otter Lake Fire Company, Inc.	Forestport	Oneida	AFG	$68,571.42
The Mohawk Valley	Frankfort Center Fire Department, Inc	Frankfort	Herkimer	AFG	$152,380.95
The Mohawk Valley	Whitesboro Fire Department, Inc.	Whitesboro	Oneida	AFG	$7,142.85
Western New York	Evans Center Volunteer Fire Co	Angola	Erie	SAFER	$152,000.00
Western New York	Village of Angola	Angola	Erie	AFG	$67,428.57
Western New York	City of Buffalo	Buffalo	Erie	AFG	$72,000.00
Western New York	West Seneca Fire District	Buffalo	Erie	AFG	$62,641.90
Western New York	Village of Cassadaga	Cassadaga	Chautauqua	AFG	$176,848.11
Western New York	Village of Depew	Depew	Erie	AFG	$32,879.04
Western New York	Falconer Village of Fire Department	Falconer	Chautauqua	AFG	$78,212.38
Western New York	Falconer Village of Fire Department	Falconer	Chautauqua	SAFER	$49,780.00
Western New York	Scranton Volunteer Fire Co Inc	Hamburg	Erie	AFG	$80,622.53
Western New York	City of Jamestown	Jamestown	Chautauqua	AFG	$330,270.00
Western New York	Rapids Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.	Lockport	Niagara	SAFER	$39,312.00
Western New York	Village of North Collins	North Collins	Erie	AFG	$91,971.13
Western New York	Randolph Regional Ems Corp	Randolph	Cattaraugus	AFG	$34,857.14
Rochester-Finger Lakes	Brighton Fire District	Rochester	Monroe	SAFER	$573,000.00
Rochester-Finger Lakes	Chili Fire Department, Inc.	Rochester	Monroe	AFG	$658,549.09

These awards come after the senators announced several rounds of AFG & SAFER funding earlier this year, sharing that millions of dollars in federal funding is on the way for additional fire departments across New York State. Schumer, who helped create the AFG & SAFER programs, said that since their inception, these programs have delivered almost $700 million to firefighters across the Empire State.

Earlier this year, Senator Schumer applauded the signing of the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, which extends the AFG and SAFER programs, to help keep firefighters and communities safe. Schumer explained that the AFG and SAFER programs have been a lifeline for fire departments across the state and has become essential to their continued operations. Fire departments, especially those in Upstate New York, often face budget shortfalls and extremely high costs that mean they cannot purchase the modern equipment they need to combat emergencies and keep firefighters safe. Schumer said that AFG and SAFER grants have positively benefited fire departments in every corner of Upstate New York. Thanks to Senator Schumer and his colleagues’ Fire Grants and Safety Act, NY firefighters will continue to receive the federal support they need to purchase lifesaving equipment and hire more firefighters throughout Upstate NY.

The AFG and SAFER grant programs are both administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide competitive funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to purchase essential equipment and help them increase the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities.

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