U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer discusses Fire Grants and Safety Act (March 2, 2023)

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is sounding the alarm on the potential elimination of federal funds for firefighters.

Schumer said the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program are only authorized through the end of September 30, 2023, “This would devastate upstate New York fire departments that uniquely depend on this program, ripping away millions from communities to hire new firefighters, purchase life-saving equipment, and much more. So, I’m here to sound the alarm and to announce my push to lead the effort to save these critical federal firefighters programs with a new bill. It’s called the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023.”

Schumer said the act would reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program through 2030. The bill also extends the sunset for both SAFER and AFG from 2024 to 2032. He said the bill would increase the authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by about $20 million, while maintain the authorized funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million.

Schumer said since the start of these programs in 2002, the grants have delivered nearly $700 million in federal funding to NY firefighters, including over $23 million in federal funding last year alone.

Last month, the Jamestown Fire Department received $1,816,201 from these programs to hire 8 new firefighters and $284,291 to purchase new radios and a rope bailout system.

The AFG and SAFER grant programs are both 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 them increase the number of trained, “front line” firefighters available in their communities.

The Lakewood Fire Department applied for this funding on behalf of the Ashville, Busti, Celeron, Clymer, Frewsburg, Jamestown, Kiantone, Panama, and Lakewood Fire Departments. The money was allocated through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and will be used to purchase mobile radio units that will be fitted in fire trucks to allow better communication between law enforcement and other fire departments during multiple-alarm fires.

This funding will aid the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s office in putting its new $6 million radio system—which will soon be operational—into practice and allow fire departments across the county to better communicate during emergency situations.