ITHACA, N.Y. — The Dryden Fire Department received a $95,000 boost Thursday thanks to a federal grant program meant to help local fire departments with staffing, equipment and fire prevention practices.
Dryden’s department is the first recipient of the federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) funding in Tompkins County. U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) jointly announced the award in a press release, along with nine other departments throughout the state, totaling over $665,000.
With its grant award of $95,233.33, the Dryden Fire Department received the third-highest amount of money in this round of funding.
While the release does not specify what the department will specifically use the funding for, the AFG’s rules dictate the funding must be allocated to “provide protective gear, training, and supplies to emergency personnel.”
Dryden Fire Chief Mike Hall did not immediately answer a request for further details.
“Across our state, New York’s firefighters work tirelessly to protect our communities and save lives,” Gillibrand said in the release. “This federal funding will provide firefighters from the Mohawk Valley to Western New York with the new equipment, training and resources they need to stay safe as they respond to emergency situations.”
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