Lt. Governor And Port Authority Officials Present $10K Check To Fire Department

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno joined Port Authority officials Monday afternoon to present a $10,000 check to the borough for its emergency services.

The money will be used for gear and equipment for the fire department, which also covers the Teterboro Airport for the Port Authority.

Mayor Rose Heck expressed gratitude to the Port Authority, telling a small crowd that the money is on top of $80,000 the Port Authority had previously donated to the borough, which went towards the purchase of a state-of-the-art ambulance.

 The Lieutenant Governor joined Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority NY/NJ, in presenting the check.

The $10,000 grant money comes from a $135,000 fund set up by the Port Authority which is being distributed to 13 fire departments and other first responders, including Heights, in northern New Jersey.

Guadagno said it’s especially important to remember first responders as the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches. She pointed to the young members of the Junior Police Academy who attended the ceremony. pointing out that they were most likely between the ages of 3 and 6 on Sept. 11, 2011.

“We need to remind them of how important it is to honor the men and women in uniform because they have courage," she said. "They have courage to run into burning buildings. They have courage to interrupt domestic violence cases. They have courage to pull over cars not knowing what they will find in those cars.  Those people in uniform -- first responders, firemen, EMTs, police officers -- have courage. That is what today is all about, remembering the courage it takes."

“This is a community that has given over and over again and we are just glad to be here to give something back,” Baroni said.