SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $930,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FDNY FOUNDATION IN NYC

Federal Funding For FDNY Foundation Will Be Used For Fire Prevention In At-Risk Communities And Educating The Public On Fire Hazards, And Disaster Preparedness

New York, N.Y. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $937,905 in federal funding for the FDNY Foundation Inc. based in New York City.  The money was allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) grant program. FDNY Foundation will receive this funding to advance the FDNY Foundation’s New York City fire prevention campaign, “Fire is Everyone’s Fight – Get Alarmed NYC,” to reduce fire and carbon monoxide related deaths in New York City.  Earlier this year, Schumer and Gillibrand wrote to DHS in support of the FDNY’s grant application.

“These federal funds will help provide the FDNY Foundation with the resources it needs to help prevent fire and carbon monoxide related incidents in some New York City’s most vulnerable communities,”said Senator Schumer. “With this funding, the FDNY can continue its life-saving efforts through New York City’s ‘Get Alarmed NY’ by distributing and installing fire and carbon monoxide alarms in 20 neighborhoods throughout the City. I am very pleased that the Department of Homeland Security has heeded our call for this funding and I will continue to fight in the Senate to make sure more of our local fire departments have the resources they need to better serve our communities.”

“These much-needed federal funds will help the FDNY Foundation to help New York City residents better prevent fires,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I wrote to Administrator Fugate and requested this funding for the FDNY Foundation. The additional funding will be used to purchase and distribute carbon monoxide and fire alarms to 20 of the most vulnerable communities in New York City. The lack of working smoke detectors continues to be the single most significant risk factor in fire emergencies. This funding will drastically improve the safety of at-risk communities. I will continue to fight in the Senate to make sure more of New York fire departments have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

The FDNY Foundation will use the funding to advance New York City’s fire prevention campaign, “Fire is Everyone’s Fight – Get Alarmed NYC,” to reduce fire and carbon monoxide related deaths in New York City; providing fire safety education, installation supplies and delivering over 6,000 homes with 20,000 carbon monoxide and fire alarms.  

“The FDNY’s core mission of protecting life and property is accomplished thanks to the outstanding work of our members and through educational outreach in every community in the five boroughs.  These efforts have reduced fire deaths to historic lows in New York City,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “Thanks to this new federal funding to the FDNY Foundation, we will continue that great work by increasing the interactive fire and life safety education we offer and by continuing to install smoke alarms in homes in communities that pose the greatest risk of fire through the #GetAlarmedNYC program.”

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), established by FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security, was created 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.

The full text of Senators Schumer’s and Gillibrand’s letters to FEMA are included below.

The Honorable Jeh Johnson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

Dear Secretary Johnson:

I am pleased to write in support of the application submitted by the FDNY Foundation for funding through FEMA’s Fire Safety & Prevention (FP&S) grant program.  Such funding will enable the FDNY Foundation to install fire/CO alarms in some of New York City’s most vulnerable homes.

Fires disproportionally affect elderly, poor, and minority residents of New York City, and tragically, many of the deaths and injuries caused by fires can be prevented through the use of a working fire/CO detector.  To address this problem, New York City established the “Get Alarmed NY” program earlier this year, through which fire/CO alarms were given out at community events and any New Yorker was able to request an alarm installation.  The program proved to be so popular that it will soon be depleted.  As fire/CO alarms play such an important role in saving lives, the FDNY Foundation has partnered with Red Cross NY to continue its alarm installation program.

With funding, the FDNY Foundation will be able to carry out its “Fire is Everyone’s Fight – Get Alarmed NYC” program.  Targeting some of the City’s most at-risk homes, this program will provide in-home fire safety reviews and fire/CO alarm installation.  The Foundation has identified 20 of the most vulnerable neighborhoods throughout the City and plans to reach over 6,000 homes through this program.  The alarms installed through this program will last for 10 years and will make a positive impact on the safety of residents, potentially saving lives.  I applaud the FDNY Foundation and its partners for their foresight, and sincerely hope the application meets with your approval.

Thank you for your consideration.  For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me or my Grants Director, Marissa Emanuel, in my Washington office at 202-224-XXXX.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

Mr. W. Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Administration
500 C St SW
Washington, DC 20024

Dear Administrator Fugate,

I write in support of the application by the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY) for funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program through the Federal Emergency Management Administration. This funding will help FDNY advance New York City’s fire prevention campaign, “Fire is Everyone’s Fight – Get Alarmed NYC,” to reduce fire and carbon monoxide related deaths in New York City.  

FDNY is the largest fire department in the United States. It serves 8 million residents in all five boroughs of New York City, and responds to over one million emergencies a year. In addition to emergency response, FDNY also works on prevention by enforcing public safety codes and educating the public on fire hazards, life safety, and disaster preparedness. FDNY employees over 10,000 firefighters and fire officers, in addition to 3,500 Emergency Medical Service Technicians, Paramedics, and Emergency Service Officers. Fire emergencies disproportionally affect the elderly, the poor, and people of color.

The requested funding will be used to purchase and distribute carbon monoxide and fire alarms to the 20 most vulnerable communities in New York City. The lack of a working smoke detector continues to be the single most significant risk factor in fire emergencies. Funding would provide over 6,000 homes with 20,000 carbon monoxide and fire alarms. FDNY will also use this funding to provide fire safety education and literature, installation supplies, door-to-door event promotion, and advertising. This funding will drastically improve the safety of at-risk communities in New York. 

Sincerely,

Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator

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