City receives over $533K for volunteer fire department

The City of Port Jervis announce an award of federal funding of $533,087.61 through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

The AFG program provides funds for prioritized equipment and training. This highly competitive grant will fund the purchase of 55 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and RIT kit for its 100% volunteer Fire Department.

Each SCBA includes a harness, backpack, facepiece, and two cylinders. The RIT kit is a portable emergency air supply system used to rescue trapped or incapacitated firefighters.

“With this AFG award, our firefighters will be able to continue to respond to emergencies within the city and surrounding areas as needed,” Mayor Dominic Cicalese said. “The City of Port Jervis is able to provide the 5% match, but not t he entire purchase.”

The City, and its 167-year-old Port Jervis Fire department, thank Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for their ongoing support for New York’s fire services and FEMA Assistance to Firefighter grants which will make the purchase of this equipment critical to the safety of its volunteer firefighters possible.