Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $224,000 in federal funding for Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance (NOVA) to acquire new cardiac monitoring equipment. The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).
“If we’re going to keep our communities safe, our first responders need the right resources,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance will be able to use these funds to upgrade their equipment so they can save more lives. I will continue to work to equip our first responders with the tools they need.”
NOVA will use the federal finding to purchase new cardiac monitoring equipment to include carbon monoxide and met hemoglobin detection. The equipment will also indicate changing trends in the patient’s condition. NOVA is a non-profit EMS/ambulance service that comprises 47 first responders, both volunteers and paid staff. NOVA is located in the Town of Clay and responds to roughly 5,500 calls annually.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, established by FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security, is part of an effort to increase the nation’s emergency response preparation. This program provides federal funding to first responder organizations for the acquisition of personal protective equipment, firefighting vehicles, and emergency response equipment. The funds also help provide emergency response trainings.