Politics & Government
Lowey Announces $336,430 Grant for White Plains Fire Department
Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) will support rescue training for personnel in the fire department's Rescue Company.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY17/Rockland-Westchester) announced this week that the White Plains Fire Department has been awarded a $336,430 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to provide rescue training for personnel in the fire department’s Rescue Company.
“New York’s first responders put their lives on the line to protect our communities, and we must ensure that they have the training to perform their critical public service while ensuring their own safety,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “Not only will this federal funding enhance rescue training in White Plains, it will help our first responders save lives during emergencies. As the highest ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, which oversees federal funding allocations, I will continue to secure these vital resources for our emergency personnel.”
The Rescue Company is staffed 24/7 and responds to emergencies including fires, building collapses, trench collapses, and vehicle accidents. The City of White Plains is required to provide a 10 percent match of the federal grant, for a total of $370,073 for the White Plains Fire Department.
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“I'd like to thank Congresswoman Nita Lowey for her tireless advocacy for White Plains,” said White Plains Mayor Tom Roach. “This grant funding will enable the White Plains Fire Department to provide enhanced rescue training to its personnel, an important component of their work that encompasses rescue in many different types of situations.”
The AFG Program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and seeks to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters by providing direct financial assistance to fire departments to obtain resources to equip and train emergency personnel, support community resilience, and protect the public.
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This latest FEMA grant brings the total received by the White Plains Fire Department up to almost $4 million. That includes a Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant of $1.9 million in 2010, which enabled the City to rehire nine firefighters, and a federal grant of $330,000 in 2016 to upgrade safety packs for firefighters.
