U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $54,739 in federal funding for the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village in Chautauqua County. The funding was allocated through a Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. Specifically, the Children’s Safety Village will use the funds to launch a fire safety program to reduce residential fires and fire-related injuries. The new program aims to provide fire and CPR classes for over 2,800 students and install smoke alarms in 200 residences.
“There’s nothing more important than the well-being of our children,” said Senator Schumer. “This funding will help the great folks at the Children’s Safety Village continue teaching kids how to avoid fires and protect themselves and others during emergencies. I’m proud to be working with them, and I’m committed to delivering the resources we need to keep our communities safe.”
“This investment in fire safety and education training would help reduce fire-related accidents,” Senator Gillibrand said. “By providing the community with fire safety training, residents will be more equipped and better prepared to handle emergency situations. I will always fight in the Senate to make sure that our first responders and community residents have the tools and resources they need to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“The board and staff of the Chautauqua Children’s Safety Education Village (CCSEV) is dedicated to providing hands-on, experiential training to the children of Chautauqua County and surrounding areas,” said Douglas B. Fricke, Director of Grants and Planning at Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. “The FEMA funding will permit the CCSEV to continue to provide this life saving training. It is our hope that the Safety Village model will become adopted by other communities across the country who recognize its potential for effective safety training for children.”
The Children’s Safety Education Village is a Not-For-Profit Organization that aims to prevent unnecessary injuries and fatalities of children in the community through education and first-hand experience. The CCSEV completed its training facility in 2010 and now provides education to schools in Chautauqua County as well as those from surrounding counties. All children are eligible to take part in the Safety Village’s education, which includes instruction in avoiding fire hazards and learning safety techniques for traffic situations.
The Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), a Department of Homeland Security program that is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the United States Fire Administration. FP&S grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The primary goal is to reduce injury and prevent death among high-risk populations.