Local fire departments receive state subsidies | News, sports, jobs

Saranac Lake (left) and Lake Placid firefighters use their aerial ladders, pikes and hoses to fight a fire above Saranac Lake’s No. 1 Chinese Restaurant in February 2014. (Company photo – Peter Crowley)

SARANAC LAKE — Two local fire departments will receive state grants for either facilities or equipment as part of a $25 million package announced Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

This Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment Grant Program funding is provided through the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to 88 facilities across the state.

The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department will receive $200,532 for facilities and the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department will receive $217,360 for equipment.

“Volunteer firefighters embody the best public servants, and an investment in them is an investment in the safety of the communities they serve.” Hochul said in a statement. “These grants will give volunteer firefighters the resources they need to continue protecting New Yorkers; Support commensurate with their professionalism and the inestimable weight of their efforts.”

The Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment Grant Program supports the safety, health and well-being of volunteer firefighters by providing appropriate and up-to-date equipment, including personal protective equipment, decontamination equipment and supplies, and effective exhaust fume removal systems.

Additionally, the V-FIRE grant program will support the consolidation of fire service resources through regionalization efforts to expand beyond jurisdictional boundaries and further enhance local, regional and statewide response efforts.

Reimbursable costs include building new or renovating existing fire stations, classrooms, meeting rooms, or training centers, as well as installing extraction and decontamination systems or purchasing equipment such as firefighter PPE, PPE washers and dryers, and firefighter rehabilitation equipment.

“Our volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line every time they suit up to help others in need.” Jackie Bray, commissioner of the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, said in a news release. “Through the V-FIRE grant program, we are working to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. We thank our volunteers for their service and are grateful for the work they do to keep their communities safe.”

Applications from volunteer fire departments were assessed and competitively evaluated by a team of officials from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services based on a multi-tiered list of criteria.

The evaluation process assessed not only the timeliness and completeness of applications, but also a number of other factors, including the department’s annual operating budget. Priority was given to those with smaller annual operating budgets.