More than $5.45 million in federal funding is coming to 11 Capital Region fire departments and EMS squads. The money comes from FEMA grant programs for Fiscal Year 2024 โ the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program.
The grant awards will go toward staffing, training, and purchasing new equipment such as turnout gear, personal protective equipment (PPE), turnout washer/dryer/extractors, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) face masks, and more.
Five departments will receive money from the SAFER program to support hiring new firefighters and increasing recruitment and retention:
City of Schenectady Fire Department: $2,008,304
Rotterdam-Princetown Fire District #5: $821,192
Halfmoon Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Department: $635,886
S.W. Pitts Hose Company of Latham, NY: $426,838
City of Rensselaer Fire Department: $237,090
Eight departments will receive funding from the AFG program to support improvements in equipment, operations, and safety.
