Fire Chief Jan Pepelino standing with the Norwich Fire Department, thanks Senator Schumer for supporting the AFG and SAFER grant programs which benefit the local area and thousands of departments that rely on the funding. (Photo by Kelli Miller)

NORWICH — On Friday U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer visited the Norwich Fire Department in the City of Norwich to reveal his plan to rally support to pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act.

The senate is looking to include the act in legislation by the end of April to save programs such as the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.

Schumer said, “Ok, well, why are we here? I love our firefighters, whether they are paid or volunteered they are like our armed forces overseas, in other words, they rush to danger, they risk their lives for our safety, and they’ve done that for generations ever since Benjamin Franklin started the first volunteer fire department in America in 1787.”

Schumer said he grew up next to a firefighter family so he knows what firefighters go through. While he was over at the neighbors house, playing with friends, the phone would ring and he could see the concern of his friends mom, wife of the firefighter who was on duty. When a phone call came in and the husband was on duty, the concern that this would be the call that every spouse fears but this is what family and firefighters do.

“And so, I’ve always defended our fire fighters and years ago I came up with two grants that are now called the SAFER and AFG grants. The SAFER grants give money to paid firefighters and the AFG gives money to our volunteer departments,” said Schumer.

Schumer said, “From rural communities like those here in Chenango County, to cities like Binghamton, the AFG and SAFER programs got over $5.6 million in life saving federal funding to firefighters across the Southern Tier in just the past three years; and over 72,000 right here in Chenango County. We can't let the lifeline go up in smoke.”

Some of the previously awarded AFG projects the Norwich Fire Department has benefited from include a system to minimize the diesel fume exhaust within the station in an effort to reduce the carcinogens firefighters breath, the replacement of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) used in immediately dangerous to life atmospheres, and new UHF radio equipment which improved on-scene emergency communications.

Norwich Fire Chief Jan Papelino said, “I’d like to thank you for supporting us and supporting the AFG and SAFER grants, they’re extremely important to thousands of departments across the nation and we talk a lot about our local area but there are many departments that rely on this funding for a variety of things.”

“Bottom line is its about the increased improvement level of service that we’re able to give to the public to serve and thats what this is all about. So, I just want to thank you today,” he said.

Schumer also announce the Village of Oxford Fire Department has been awarded a SAFER grant in the amount of $226,200 to support the recruitment and retention activities, including the development of a marketing program that will enhance the department's involvement in the community. The Fire Grants and Safety act would reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration, Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, and staffing for Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program through Fiscal Year 2030.

The senator explained that the World War II generation, his father’s generation, always volunteered for things. The younger generation doesn’t volunteer.

When younger people do volunteer they often stay because of the camaraderie and impact the have helping to save lives.

If the AFG and SAFER grants weren’t around, Chenango County would have lost out on the opportunity.

Norwich received $150,000 to train their firefighters, Johnson City received $923,000 to keep the department fully staffed.

“This beautiful program I helped create in 2001 is ready to expire. As a majority leader I have some power to determine to put this on the floor of the senate. So, I am saying, standing here with our firefighters, saying I will not stop until this passes,” Schumer said. “When it comes to protecting our firefighters and our people from fire, we shouldn’t be expected to spare any expense. It’s time to put on our boots, throw some cold water on our cuts, and rescue NY Fire Department funding. We don’t want anyone mucking around with this legislation.”

Matt Beckwith, Chenango County Fire Coordinator said, “We appreciate and fully support Senator Schumer's efforts to continue this very important funding stream for our local departments. Both the SAFER and Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) programs have helped our local fire departments to fund large projects that would typically be a huge financial burden to our local tax payers. Through federal investment, many of our local departments have been awarded thousands of dollars to upgrade self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA's), firefighter turnout gear, auto extrication equipment, and even hire personnel.”

“Chenango County is a rural community with an aging population and a low tax base. All of our agencies that have been awarded these grants were able to purchase this equipment with little to no impact on the local communities. Without this important funding opportunity, many of our local, rural departments would not have had the opportunity to update their existing and purchase new equipment, to help save lives within our local jurisdictions,” Beckwith added.

Schumer originally helped create the AFG Program in 1999 and later it expanded to include the SAFER Program along with Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) programs.

The federal programs have been a lifeline for firefighters and essential for continuing operations, especially in smaller rural counties. Upstate New York Fire departments often face budget shortfalls and high costs that do not allow large purchases of modern equipment. For example, a modern pumper truck can cost well over $750,000 and ladder trucks cost approximately $1 million. Outfitting a firefighter in protective gear and breathing apparatus cost about $12,000.

The Fire Grants and Safety Act would reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response Grant Program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2030. The bill would also extend the life of both SAFER and AFG from 2024 to 2032. The bill would increase authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by approximately $20 million and maintain the authorized funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million, each.

The AFG and SAFER grant programs are administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide competitive funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to purchase essential equipment and help increase number of trained “front line” firefighters available in their communities.