First responders$200,000 grant for upstate N.Y. fire department
Last week the city of Tonawanda in western New York received nearly $200,000 from DHS to purchase new firefighting equipment; the money will be used to purchase harnesses, ropes, victim removal devices, enhanced air supply equipment, and a new communications system; funding comes from the DHS Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program; the grant comes at a critical time as the city is struggling with its budget; several local fire departments nearby also received grants last month including those in Rochester, Youngstown, and Ridge-Culver
Grant means new equipment for Tonawanda F.D. // Source: tonawanda.ny.us
Last week the city of Tonawanda in western New York received nearly $200,000 from DHS to purchase new firefighting equipment.
On 23 March 2011 Representative Louise Slaughter (D – New York) announced that the city had been awarded $194,263 from the DHS Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
The money will be used to purchase harnesses, ropes, victim removal devices, enhanced air supply equipment, and a new communications system. Tonawanda’s fire department is a combination fire department that relies on both volunteers and full-time employees to complete its mission. This arrangement minimizes costs to the city and allows the department to maintain its three minute or less response time.
Fire Chief Charles B. Stuart says that the grant comes at a critical time as the city is struggling with its budget.
“The timing of this grant could not have been better considering the state of our local economy. This award not only benefits the department but also our local taxpayers, as these upgrades will not cause an increase in our operating budget,” he said.
He added, “The City of Tonawanda Fire Department is extremely grateful and excited to have been chosen as one of the recipients of the 2010 Fire Act Grant program. This grant will provide funding to acquire numerous pieces of equipment, which will allow the department to significantly enhance our life-saving capabilities and provide a larger margin of safety for our firefighters who may need to perform rescues from within confined spaces.”
Since the program was first created in 2001, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant has disbursed nearly $4.6 billion to firefighters across the country.
The program is aimed at helping “firefighters and other first responders to obtaincritically needed equipment, protective gear,emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the publicand emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.”
In announcing the grant, Representative Slaughter said, “I am delighted to again be able to announce federal funding coming to the brave firefighters who protect our communities day in and day out. As fire companies in Western New York know better than anyone else, it is essential that they have the equipment they need to carry out their lifesaving work.”
Last month several local fire departments nearby also received grants including those in Rochester, Youngstown, and Ridge-Culver.
