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Waverly, NY - As part of his ongoing effort to provide firefighters and other emergency responders with the best equipment possible, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced that the Waverly/Barton Fire District has been awarded a $60,259 federal grant to install an exhaust system for its fire station.
"Providing these critical funds for an exhaust system in the fire station is the least we can do for the members of the Waverly/Barton Fire District who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect their community and answer their community's calls for assistance without payment for their invaluable service," Hinchey said. "This new system will help improve the health of our firefighters who in turn will be able to continue protecting local residents."
The grant will pay for an exhaust system in the building that houses the Waverly/Barton Fire District's six emergency vehicles. The exhaust system will dramatically improve indoor air quality and reduce health threats to first responders and anyone else who works in and around the building.
The funds come from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA). As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Hinchey has worked to secure full funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, since its inception in 2001. He has also sponsored a number of workshops across his congressional district to help fire departments with the grant application process. Hinchey is also the author of the SERVE (Supporting Emergency Responders' Volunteer Efforts) Act, which would provide a $1,000 federal tax credit to individuals who are active members of volunteer firefighting and EMS organizations.
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