Schumer, Gillibrand: AFG & SAFER Are Continuing To Deliver Resources To Upstate Firefighters
Today, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $2,666,720.73 in federal funding for fire departments across New York State. The funding will be used to help recruit, hire and train firefighters and provide protective gear and supplies to emergency personnel across 18 fire departments. This federal funding was administered through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs, which the senators fought hard to successfully preserve and fund earlier this year.
“Every day, brave firefighters from Woodridge to Webster risk their lives to protect our communities,” said Senator Schumer. “This significant over $2.6 million is an investment in our first responders. Fire departments across Upstate NY need support to recruit, hire, and train firefighters and provide them with the protective gear and supplies they need to keep themselves and their communities safe. I stood with firefighters across Upstate NY to push for the reauthorization of the AFG and SAFER programs because I know how important it is for our first responders to be prepared. Now, the AFG and SAFER programs are continuing to deliver results for Upstate NY.”
“Every day, New York firefighters risk their lives and work tirelessly to defend our communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This federal funding of over $2 million will provide fire departments across Upstate New York with the necessary equipment, training, and resources to keep them safe as they respond to emergency situations. I’m proud to deliver this funding and will continue fighting for New York fire departments.”
The announcement includes $1,952,341.73 for AFG grant recipients and $714,379.00 for SAFER grant recipients.
A list of funding recipients can be found below:
| Region | Organization | City | County | Grant | Federal Funding |
| Hudson Valley | Woodridge Joint Fire District | Woodridge | Sullivan | AFG | $28,291.19 |
| Hudson Valley | Esopus Fire District | Esopus | Ulster | SAFER | $82,076.00 |
| Capital Region | SW Pitts Hose Company of Latham Ny Inc | Latham | Albany | AFG | $97,681.90 |
| Capital Region | Greenfield Fire District | Greenfield Center | Saratoga | AFG | $91,477.90 |
| North Country | Brushton Volunteer Fire Association, Inc. | Brushton | Franklin | AFG | $25,425.71 |
| North Country | West Stockholm Fire Department | West Stockholm | St. Lawrence | AFG | $56,952.38 |
| Southern Tier | Edmeston Fire District | Edmeston | Otsego | AFG | $133,333.33 |
| Mohawk Valley | Stratford Volunteer Fire Dept | Stratford | Fulton | AFG | $649,523.80 |
| Mohawk Valley | Town of Mohawk Fire District | Fonda | Montgomery | SAFER | $575,180.00 |
| Mohawk Valley | Volunteer Fire Company of Vernon, Inc. | Vernon | Oneida | AFG | $45,428.57 |
| Central New York | Marathon Joint Fire District | Marathon | Cortland | AFG | $53,333.33 |
| Central New York | Virgil Fire Department, Inc. | Cortland | Cortland | AFG | $17,428.57 |
| Central New York | Morrisville Fire District | Morrisville | Madison | AFG | $66,666.66 |
| Central New York | Southwood Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. | Jamesville | Onondaga | AFG | $36,000.00 |
| Western New York | City of Olean | Olean | Cattaraugus | AFG | $21,904.76 |
| Western New York | West Seneca Fire Dist 3 | West Seneca | Erie | AFG | $108,220.95 |
| Rochester-Finger Lakes | Honeoye Falls Village of | Honeoye Falls | Monroe | SAFER | $57,123.00 |
| Rochester-Finger Lakes | West Webster Fire District | Webster | Monroe | AFG | $520,672.68 |
These awards come after the senators announced several rounds of AFG & SAFER funding earlier this year, sharing that millions of dollars in federal funding is on the way for additional fire departments across New York State. Schumer, who helped create the AFG & SAFER programs, said that since their inception, these programs have delivered almost $700 million to firefighters across the Empire State.
The AFG and SAFER grant programs are both administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide competitive funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to purchase essential equipment and help them increase the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities.