Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, D-Mineola, announced that she had helped secure a $164,295 grant for the New Hyde Park Fire Department to spend on a new rescue vehicle with which to protect the public. She also announced that another federal grant opportunity has also just opened up for local fire departments.

“Ensuring the health and safety of my constituents is a top priority for me in Congress,” Rep. McCarthy said in a statement. “This includes making sure that our local fire departments have the resources necessary to fight dangerous fires and respond to life threatening medical emergencies in our communities.”

The grant was awarded this week following a letter of support from Rep. McCarthy sent last year from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

"The New Hyde Park Fire Department would like to thank Rep. Carolyn McCarthy for assistance in obtaining our AFGP award,” New Hyde Park Fire District Commissioner John Divello said. “We are replacing a 26-year-old rescue truck with a safe modern vehicle, complaint to state and federal standards, which will serve the New Hyde Park and surrounding communities."

Since 2001, the AFG Program has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. The AFG Program provides grants on a competitive basis to rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. Applications for the AFG Program will be accepted again this summer.

The application period for the Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program runs from January 30 to February 24.

The SAFER program is a funding initiative designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to fire and fire related hazards and to improve overall preparedness by enhancing the ability of grantees to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing. The objective of the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters is to create a more favorable working environment for volunteer firefighters by encouraging current volunteers to continue as well as entice new volunteers to join.

“Our volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line every day and Congress must continue to provide them with the resources that they need to meet the challenges that they face,” Rep. McCarthy said. “I encourage all my local fire departments and emergency response teams to take advantage of these programs and apply for federal dollars.” 

For more information on these grant programs, contact Congresswoman McCarthy’s office at (516) 739-3008.