Press Release

Gillibrand Announces More Than $10,000 for Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department

Mar 17, 2011

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $10,218 in federal funding for the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department. These federal dollars will be used by the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department to recruit additional first responders. The funding is allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.

“This is a great investment for the communities of Lawrence and Cedarhurst,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will help improve the fire department’s ability to respond 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.”

“Support from our congressional leaders, such as Senator Gillibrand, in receiving federal grant funds is extremely important in our efforts to recruit members into the volunteer fire service,” said Joseph C. Sperber, Chief, Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department.  “Grant funding such as this helps us to better serve our community while providing the best fire and emergency protection.”

The SAFER program, established by DHS, is part of an effort to help fire departments across the country increase the number of firefighters in our communities, including re-hiring those that lost their jobs during the economic crisis. This program awards federal funding to fire departments to help them provide round-the-clock staffing to their communities from dangerous fire-related hazards.