New York Awards $25 Million to 65 Volunteer Fire Departments, Including 7 on Long Island and 4 in Rockland and Westchester

On Sept. 16, New York State allocated $25 million to 65 volunteer fire departments for facility and equipment improvements. Seven on Long Island will receive $1,194,425, and seven in the Mid-Hudson region, including Rockland and Westchester, will receive $2,357,959. Under the program, the state covers firehouse renovation and equipment replacement costs that residents' taxes had previously paid for.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Sept. 16 that the state has allocated $25 million for facility and equipment improvements to 65 volunteer fire departments and fire districts across New York. Ten will receive the maximum of $1 million. It is the second round of funding, following $25 million awarded to 88 departments in October 2024. About 9 million people, roughly half of the state's population, rely on volunteer firefighters rather than paid firefighters for fire and emergency response.

The funding comes from the Volunteer Fire Infrastructure and Response Equipment (V-FIRE) program, run by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). It can be used in two ways. One is facility improvements: building or renovating firehouses, training rooms and meeting rooms to meet building codes. The other is equipment purchases: personal protective equipment such as turnout gear, washers and dryers designed for turnout gear, decontamination equipment, and vehicle exhaust removal systems for fire station garages. Including exhaust removal systems and turnout gear washers as eligible items is intended to reduce occupational cancer among firefighters.

7 on Long Island, 7 in the Mid-Hudson Region

Near New York City, seven Long Island departments will receive a combined $1,194,425. In Nassau County, the City of Glen Cove will receive $287,324, the New Hyde Park Fire District $188,000, the Lynbrook Village Fire Department $189,500, and Alert Engine, Hook, Ladder & Hose Company No. 1 $95,000. In Suffolk County, the Huntington Manor Fire District will receive $164,601, the Hauppauge Fire District $145,000, and the Village of Amityville Fire Department $125,000.

Across the Hudson River, seven departments in the Mid-Hudson region will receive $2,357,959. They include the Village of Suffern Fire Department in Rockland County at $256,679, the West Nyack Fire District at $99,000, and the Pearl River Fire District at $107,015, while Buchanan Engine Company No. 1 in Westchester County will receive $425,000. The 10 recipients of the $1 million maximum are spread across Cayuga, Oswego, Ontario, Dutchess, Otsego, Jefferson, Essex, Chenango and Erie counties, and the Village of Tivoli in Dutchess County is one of them.

Fewer Volunteers, More Calls

More than seven in 10 volunteer fire departments reported a decline in applicants in recent years. Meanwhile, call volume rose 29% between 1997 and 2020, and the work has expanded beyond firefighting to include traffic accidents, emergency patient transport, hazardous material spills and rescues during severe weather. The state has since introduced a law allowing local governments to give volunteer firefighters property tax exemptions of up to 10%, a stipend for members who complete basic training, and a law allowing volunteer fire departments to bill insurers for emergency medical services (EMS) costs.

The full list of grant recipients and program information are available on the DHSES website at dhses.ny.gov. To receive emergency and weather alert text messages from the same agency, text the name of your county or New York City borough to 333111.