Grant to help replace aging fire equipment
The Cohoes Fire Department will be adding some much-needed new equipment thanks to a federal grant.
The fire department will buy new hoses, along with safety and maintenance equipment, thanks to a $115,635 grant U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, helped secure through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters program.
City Fire Chief Joe Fahd said the grant will be used to replace equipment at or near the end of its service life. Among that equipment will be a new washer extractor dryer to remove dangerous chemicals from turnout gear, which would replace 35-year-old equipment that is no longer functioning; a new cascade air compressor to fill air bottles for firefighters, replacing a 45-year-old unit; and new hose of various sizes to replace 15- to 20-year-old lines that regularly breaks when crews are on a call.
“Without these AFG grants, we would be hard-pressed to get this equipment that keeps our firefighters safe and out there doing the work,” said Fahd, a 51-year veteran of Capital Region firefighting. “Many people don’t realize that around 65 percent of firefighters develop some form of cancer during their careers. We need to be able to take care of these people that are out there fighting for our community, and we need to know that our hoses and equipment aren’t going to break on every call, especially when responding to a major incident.”
Tonko praised the work done by the department and the assistance this grant program will provide. “Our firefighters are the first line of defense against tragedy for families and communities all across the Capital Region,” Tonko said in a news release announcing the award, “yet many of our local firehouses across the Capital Region operate with very limited resources. This award ensures that the brave firefighters in the Cohoes station have the equipment they need to continue saving lives and safeguarding homes and businesses in their community.”
The AFG program awards competitive grants directly to fire departments to protect public and first-responder health and safety.
Since 2001, the program has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources to protect the public and emergency personnel.
“This grant will enable our firefighters to have the tools they need to protect our communities,” said Mayor Shawn Morse, a retired city firefighter. “They are willing to put their lives on the line for us every day, and ensuring they have the best possible equipment is paramount.”