Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $956,006 in federal funding for the Utica Fire Department. These federal dollars will be used by the Utica Fire Department to hire additional firefighters. The funding is allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.
“This is a great investment for Utica,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will help improve the fire department’s ability to respond and keep families safe, as well as bring much needed jobs to the area. I will continue working to ensure our first responders have the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe.”
“The Utica Fire Department and the City of Utica are very grateful for the support from Senator Gillibrand’s and Senator Schumer’s offices this grant is a Win – Win for the City this will help in difficult budget times, and will improve Public Safety for the citizens of Utica,” said Andre C. Esposito, Assistant Fire Chief, Utica Fire Department.
The SAFER program, established by DHS, is part of an effort to help fire departments across the country increase the number of firefighters in our communities, including re-hiring those that were laid off because of the economy. This program awards federal funding to fire departments to help them provide round-the-clock staffing to their communities, and protect from dangerous fire-related hazards