Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $90,440 in federal funding for the Pound Ridge Fire Department to upgrade their equipment. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
“This is an important investment for the Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Our first responders need the proper and up-to-date resources to protect themselves and our communities. This federal grant will help the Pound Ridge Fire Department replace their Air-Paks, keeping their firefighters safe and enabling them to save lives more effectively.”
Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department Chief Stephen Eidam said, “This is tremendous news for the Pound Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. This federal grant will allow us to bring our equipment back up to standards by replacing our outdated Air-Paks. We haven’t been able to keep up with the necessary replacements within our local budget, so we will really benefit from these federal funds.”
The Pound Ridge Fire Department is supported by 50 volunteer firefighters that respond to over 400 calls annually in the greater Pound Ridge area. They will use the grant to purchase 18 new Scott Air-Paks for their firefighters to use.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, established by FEMA within the Department of Homeland Security, is part of an effort to increase the nation’s emergency response preparation. This program provides federal funding to first responder organizations for the acquisition of personal protective equipment, firefighting vehicles, and emergency response equipment. The funds also help provide emergency response trainings.