CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN SECURES $355,676 TO BOLSTER FIREFIGHTER WORKFORCE IN ORANGE AND ULSTER COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Congressman Pat Ryan Secures $355,676 to Bolster Firefighter Workforce in Orange and Ulster County Fire Departments
Ryan secured $200,000 for Vails Gate Fire Company and $73,600 for Quassaick Bridge Fire District in New Windsor and $82,076 for the Esopus Fire District to invest in recruitment and retention of new firefighters
Announcement comes only weeks after Ryan delivered over $1.4 million for fire departments across the Hudson Valley
NEW WINDSOR, NY – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan secured $200,000 for the Vails Gate Fire Company and $73,600 for the Quassaick Bridge Fire District in New Windsor and $82,076 for the Esopus Fire District to invest in their recruitment and retention strategies to continue to protect New Windsor families with a highly-trained and dedicated force of firefighters. The $73,600 that Ryan delivered for the Quassaick Bridge Fire District will help the New Windsor department provide a training stipend for firefighters, develop a comprehensive media strategy to attract new volunteer firefighter recruits, and establish an incentive program for its members' attendance at alarms, trainings, and drills. The $200,000 in funding will help the all-volunteer Vails Gate Fire Company recruit and retain top firefighter candidates with a tuition assistance program and conducting comprehensive marketing and community outreach. Today’s announcement comes only weeks after Ryan joined with fire departments from across the Hudson Valley to announce the over $1.4 million he secured in federal funding for the Tivoli, Rifton, Arlington, Kripplebush, and Beacon fire departments to complete major infrastructure and equipment updates.
“Our firefighters are heroes, working around the clock with the sole focus of protecting others. This funding will go a long way to ensure that New Windsor and Esopus can continue to field the most highly-trained, committed force of firefighters to protect our families today and into the future,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’ll keep fighting to deliver the resources our brave first responders need to keep our communities safe.”
“New Windsor’s firefighters go above and beyond to keep our families safe 24/7,” said New Windsor Supervisor Stephen Bedetti. “I’m proud that these funds will help our departments continue to recruit, train, and retain top-notch crews dedicated to protecting our neighbors. As an active firefighter and president of the Vails Gate Fire Company, I know firsthand how much these funds will help us recruit and retain volunteer firefighters. I’m looking forward to continuing to work alongside Congressman Ryan to deliver the resources our first responders need and deserve.”
“Trained and dedicated firefighters are the single most important resource of any fire department,” said Tom McGuinness, Chief of the New Windsor Fire Department which includes the Quassaick Bridge Fire District. “This grant is a great opportunity to further enhance the New Windsor Fire Department's ongoing efforts to recruit, retain and train our volunteers.”
“As an all-volunteer fire company, Vails Gate is extremely excited for this funding,” said Vails Gate Fire Company Chief John Rindt. “It will be put to good use recruiting and retaining top candidates with our tuition assistance program and by conducting comprehensive community outreach with an official social media coordinator. We’re looking forward to continuing to serve the community full force and keeping our neighbors safe at all times.”
“On behalf of Esopus Board of Fire Commissioners, Fire Officers, Department Members and the Residents of the Esopus Fire District, we are extremely grateful to Congressman Pat Ryan and would like to thank him for his assistance in helping to obtain this grant,” said Wayne Freer, Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners for the Esopus Fire District. “The SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) Grant in the amount of $82,076 will be used to help improve and enhance staffing. We will be able to fund a Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) and a marketing program to strengthen our recruitment and retention efforts.”
“Unfortunately, there has been a steady decline in volunteerism, especially in the fire service. While we have worked hard locally and have been helped by New York State recruitment and retention efforts, it hasn’t been enough. We truly appreciate Congressman Ryan’s assistance in helping with our crusade to provide safe and efficient emergency services to our community,” said William Freer, Assistant Chief of the Esopus Fire District.
The $73,600 in funding Ryan secured for the Quassaick Bridge Fire District will span a three-year program that will consist of the following:
- A comprehensive media marketing strategy to educate the public as to the roles of the volunteer fire service, provide fire safety information and stress the need for members of the community to volunteer.
- Training stipends to encourage firefighters to pursue skill development training and develop future fire officers
- An incentive program to increase volunteer firefighter attendance and participation, specifically at alarms, trainings, and drills.
The funding Ryan secured for the Vails Gate Fire Company, the Quassaick Bridge District, and the Esopus Fire District comes from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). Ryan recently secured over $422,000 in AFG funding for the Arlington, Kripplebush, and City of Beacon fire departments.
Congressman Ryan serves on the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and has built a record of securing funding for Hudson Valley fire departments. Only weeks ago, Congressman Ryan joined with fire departments from across the Hudson Valley to announce he had secured over $1.4 million for them to complete major infrastructure and equipment upgrades, including $500,000 each for the Rifton and Tivoli fire departments to complete firehouse overhauls and construction projects. Ryan has also nominated the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, the Port Jervis Fire Department, and the Arlington Fire District for an additional $2.65 Million in federal Community Project Funding to complete major infrastructure and equipment updates.
In 2023, Ryan secured $30,817.27 in federal grants for the Newburgh Fire Department and a $324,450 Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) for the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department to invest in new critical breathing equipment. Poughkeepsie’s AFG award followed Ryan joining his colleagues in urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to provide at least $405 million for the Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program and $405 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program for Fiscal Year 2024.
In May of 2023, Ryan partnered with Hudson Valley fire departments to announce his “Fighting for Our Firefighters” legislative plan. The plan would support families of fallen firefighters, screen for occupation-related cancers, and protect firefighters’ Social Security and pensions. Ryan has also fought to protect firefighters from PFAS exposures.
Ryan is also a staunch advocate for Hudson Valley firefighters. In December of 2023, he honored the firefighters and first responders who saved multiple lives responding to a house explosion in Wappingers Falls in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. Ryan also spearheaded efforts to install a crash gate, long-called for by first responders, on I-84 in Orange County where a bus overturned in late 2023.
Ryan cosponsors the following legislation to support firefighters and first responders:
- FIRE STATION Act
- Expanding Health Care Options for First Responders Act
- Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act
- Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act
- Federal Firefighters Pay Equity Act
- 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act
- Social Security Fairness Act, a bill that would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and ensure retired firefighters can receive their full Social Security.
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