MID-HUDSON – State Senator Michelle Hinchey has secured funding to assist volunteer fire departments seeking to make capital improvements and offset the cost of expensive apparatus. The Volunteer Fire Services Capital Fund is now a part of the 2024 state budget.
“For the first time, New York’s state budget has an established capital fund to help our local volunteer fire departments pay for vital equipment and building upgrades, and I am incredibly proud to have led the effort to create this initiative,” said Hinchey.
Senator Hinchey announced the fund at a recent meeting of the Dutchess County Firemans Association. Since that early July announcement, several local fire departments have begun inquiring about the new funding stream.
New Hamburg Fire Department President John O’Brien expressed his thoughts on the fund, telling Mid-Hudson News “This is vital funding for the volunteer fire departments. Upkeep on the firehouses that store life-saving emergency equipment is quite costly. This allows us to make improvements without creating an additional burden on our taxpayers.”
Hinchey expressed her admiration and respect for the volunteers in the emergency services, saying “Our firefighters are selfless individuals who choose to dedicate their time to saving lives and protecting our communities, and it is an absolute honor to provide this first-of-its-kind revolving fund that will help them do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The Volunteer Fire Services Capital Fund has $25 million in the state’s 2024 budget, secured by Hinchey. The grant funding will be administered by the NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). The DHSES is currently developing the grant application, according to Senator Hinchey. The senator’s office anticipates the eligibility guidelines and applications will be released sometime in the fall, likely in October.
The senator has vowed to keep all of the volunteer fire departments…
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