Gillen Announces $250K For Floral Park FD To Purchase Hook-And-Ladder Truck

FLORAL PARK, NY — The Floral Park Fire Department got one step closer to buying a new hook-and-ladder truck Tuesday, as Congresswoman Laura Gillen stopped by the firehouse to announce that the federal government had appropriated $250,000 to help the department purchase the truck.

According to Floral Park Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald, the new truck will cost $2.7 million total. At the moment, Gillen's office said, the fire department uses a 30-year-old truck that doesn't meet current operational and safety standards.

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According to department chief Eric O'Connor, the new truck — and the investment in it — will help out "tremendously."

"This is an investment in the safety of my members and the safety of this community as a whole," said Chief O'Connor. "So on behalf of the chiefs, officers, and members of Floral Park Fire Department, I want to thank Mayor Fitzgerald and the Village Board and Congresswoman Laura Gillen. This will help us out tremendously."

Gillen's office said part of the issue with the existing firetruck is not only its age, but the fact that it's being used in a more populous area than the one it was originally purchased to serve.

"As the Village has grown, the increasing number of multi-story residential buildings has created a greater need for a hook-and-ladder truck to respond effectively to emergencies," Gillen's office said. "In addition to serving Floral Park's 16,000 residents, the Floral Park Fire Department provides mutual aid assistance to communities with a combined population of more than 130,000 residents. The department is also the only fire department in the Four Villages area equipped with a hook-and-ladder truck, making it a critical regional resource for emergency response."

As for the money itself, the funds come from the federal government's 2026 appropriations process, specifically in the form of community project funding. Gillen said Tuesday that it was the latest in over $13 million in community project funding that she had secured.

"I am proud to have secured $250,000 in new federal funding to help Floral Park purchase a much-needed hook-and-ladder truck," Gillen said. "This funding is a direct investment in the safety of Floral Park residents and will ensure the Fire Department has the equipment it needs to meet the community's growing needs. I look forward to seeing the new truck in service, helping keep residents and firefighters safe for years to come."