SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $8 MILLION IN FEMA FUNDING TO HIRE DOZENS OF NEW FIREFIGHTERS IN THE CAPITAL REGION; SENATORS SAY FED $$$ WILL HELP TROY & SARATOGA SPRINGS DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE STAFFING SHORTAGES
Troy And Saratoga Springs Fire Department Have Faced Staffing Challenges, Impacting Their Ability To Respond To Daily Emergencies- Now Thanks To This Major Federal Boost Delivered By Schumer And Gillibrand They Will Have The Resources They Need To Hire 30 New Firefighters
Funding Comes On The Heels Of Senators Delivering Over $1M Through The AFG Program To Troy & Schenectady Fire Departments Earlier This Summer To Purchase Essential Equipment And Train Troy Firefighters To Become Certified Paramedics
Saratoga Springs Receives Third Largest Federal SAFER Award In New York State’s History
Schumer, Gillibrand Deliver Major Fed Funding To Boost Capital Region Firefighters
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced nearly $8 million in federal funding for the City of Troy and Saratoga Springs to hire new firefighters. Specifically, the Troy Fire Department will receive $3,688,160 and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department will receive $4,154,523. The senators said that this would help directly address the staffing shortages at the Troy Fire Department and will give Saratoga Springs the boost it needed to staff the city’s new state-of-the-art Fire-EMS station that is slated to open in 2023. The funding was allocated through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.
“Troy and Saratoga Springs firefighters have worked non-stop battling on the frontlines of the pandemic and keeping our communities safe, and when I heard our fire departments were struggling to keep staffing up I promised to deliver the fed dollars to give our heroes the support they need. That is why I am proud to deliver this major nearly $8 million federal boost so Troy and Saratoga Springs can hire new desperately needed firefighters without bearing the financial stress,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve fought my whole career to bring more federal resources to support our brave firefighters, and this will keep our Capital Region fire departments prepared to take on any emergency.”
“New York’s brave firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We have to do everything we can to make sure they have the resources and personnel they need to respond to emergencies as quickly as possible. Today, I’m proud to be delivering nearly $8 million in federal funding to battle ongoing staffing shortages in the Troy and Saratoga Springs fire departments, and I will keep working to provide relief to overburdened fire departments across our state.”
Chief Eric McMahon of the Troy Fire Department said, “As has been widely publicized, the Troy Fire Department is experiencing a staffing shortage. Thanks to the efforts of Senator Schumer, the City of Troy Fire Department has been awarded a significant grant that will fund the hiring of new firefighters to bring us up to full strength. The Senator has been a longtime proponent and supporter of the Troy Fire Department for which we are very grateful.”
Jim Montagnino, Saratoga Springs Commissioner of Public Safety said, “I’d like to express my gratitude to Senator Schumer for the award of the SAFER grant to our City. This grant empowers us to staff and train 16 additional firefighters needed to keep the City safe as we continue to grow.”
Schumer and Gillibrand explained the funding will go towards the hiring of 16 new firefighters and paramedics for the Saratoga Springs Fire Department to staff the city’s new state-of-the-art Fire-EMS station. In Troy, the funding will be used to hire 14 new firefighters.
This funding comes on the heels of the senators delivering over $1 million in federal funding for the City of Troy and Schenectady Fire Departments through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program earlier this year to purchase portable radios to ensure Schenectady firefighters have seamless communication during times of emergency and train Troy firefighters to become certified emergency medical technicians.
The SAFER grant program was established by FEMA within DHS to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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