Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $99,750 in federal funding for Village of Mamaroneck Emergency Medical Services (MEMS). 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 MEMS to improve its ability to provide emergency care.
“This is a great investment for the Village of Mamaroneck,” 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.”
In a letter from July of last year to FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate, Senator Gillibrand expressed her support for MEMS’s grant application. MEMS paramedics are highly trained, and they respond to over 1,200 calls for assistance each year. Each paramedic is capable of providing life-saving care, including advanced life support, to those who need it.
Due to the loss of one vehicle, MEMS has been forced to operate with only one ambulance. This has hindered paramedics’ ability to respond to emergencies, decreasing the overall response time across the region. Additionally, it has led to increased dependence on mutual aid and limited MEMS’s ability to provide advanced aid.
These funds, provided through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of DHS and FEMA, will allow MEMS to expand their current means of transportation, allowing them to provide better services to the 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.