U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $20,058 in federal funding for the Village of Speculator Volunteer Fire Department in Hamilton County. The funding was allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and will be used to replace an outdated fire hose from the 1980s.
“It is essential that we provide our firefighters with the equipment they need to stay safe on the job,” said Senator Schumer. “Our first responders are our local heroes and our first line of defense for safety and security – it is critical that we do all we can to ensure that they are well equipped and prepared to take on any emergency. This funding will do just that, by allowing the courageous firefighters of the Village of Speculator Volunteer Fire Department to purchase a new fire hose that will help keep them safe on the job.”
“This funding is great news for the Village of Speculator Volunteer Fire Department, which will now be able to purchase a new fire hose. Up-to-date equipment like this is critical for our local fire departments, and it helps to protect the firefighters that risk their lives to protect their communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “We need to do everything we can to support our first responders, and I will always fight in the Senate to make sure they are given the resources they need.”
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s 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. More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program can be found here.