Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $85,382 in federal funding for the Mottville Volunteer Fire Department. This funding is being allocated through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Funding will be used by the Mottville Volunteer Fire Department to improve its ability to respond to fires and other hazards.
“This is a great investment for the the City of Mottville,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will help improve the fire department’s equipment, help local firefighters do their work and keep families safe. I will continue working to ensure our first responders have the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe.”
Mottville Fire Chief Tim Baker said, “Thank you to Senator Gillibrand and Senator Schumer for their help with securing this funding and for proving a letter of support. Also, thanks to Department of Homeland Security for helping a small organization like ours. This funding will be used to replace all of our aging self contained breathing apparatuses, which we have been working to replace for six years, so we are very pleased to have received this money.”
In a letter from August of last year to FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate, Senator Gillibrand expressed her support for the Mottville Volunteer Fire Department’s grant application. Mottville’s volunteer fire fighters, who serve over 7,000 residents in their community, are currently using equipment that has seen decades of wear and tear. In order to maintain efficient operation of the department, it is important that they have fully-operational equipment.
These funds, provided through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of DHS and FEMA, will allow the Mottville Volunteer Fire Department to purchase 27 self-contained breathing apparatuses that will replace their obsolete models. The addition of this equipment will increase the overall safety of each volunteer firefighter, providing them with the equipment to serve their community.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, established by DHS and FEMA, is part of an effort to increase the nation’s emergency response preparation. This program provides federal funding to first-responder organization for the acquisition of personal protective equipment, firefighting vehicles, and emergency response equipment. The funds will also help provide emergency response training to firefighters.