Over half a million dollars in funding to Cortland, Marathon, and Willet Fire Departments has been announced by New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand for the purchase of new equipment to protect firefighters and keep community members safe.
The funding, $574,545 to be exact in federal funds, will allow the purchase of new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help keep firefighters in Cortland, Marathon, and Willet safe. The funding is allocated via the US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
“From being on the frontline during COVID to fighting fires, our Cortland firefighters work non-stop keeping our communities safe. That is why when I heard our fire departments were struggling to secure enough protective equipment for their hard working firefighters, I promised to deliver the fed dollars to give our heroes the support they need. So I am proud to deliver this major over $574,000 federal boost so firefighters in the Cortland, Marathon, and Willet Fire Departments can stay safe while providing aid to the surrounding community and protecting critical infrastructure in the area,” said Senator Schumer.
The funding will allow the purchase of new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) that are in line with the modern standard. The system protects a firefighters respiratory system while in a situation where the environment is dangerous to life and health, including low oxygen and/or a toxic environment.
“The award of this Assistance to Firefighters grant to the City of Cortland is critical to the safety of our firefighters, and ultimately to our fire department’s ability to protect the residents of Cortland. The self-contained breathing apparatuses that this award will fund are part of the basic equipment needed by all firefighters to do their job. The financial commitment represented by this grant saves the City of Cortland hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and maintenance costs,” said Cortland Fire Department Chief Wayne Friedman.
