Days Before Funding Runs Out, Maloney Prevents 17 Layoffs By Securing Additional Federal Investment in Newburgh Fire Department

Press Release

After working side-by-side with the Newburgh Fire Department, Representative Sean Patrick Maloney announced that he secured another major Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) SAFER grant investment of $2,061,516 to keep the city's department fully staffed. The funding will be used to prevent laying off 17 firefighters, allow the department to hire six new firefighters, and will raise the strength of force of the department to approximately 70. In March, Maloney joined the Newburgh Fire Department in calling for the approval of this grant and wrote a letter of support for this federal investment, warning FEMA of impending layoffs without federal action.

"Since my first days on the job I've worked hand-in-glove with our local Newburgh Fire Department to ensure they have the manpower, resources, and equipment needed to do their jobs safely and protect our families," said Rep. Maloney. "Working together with Chief Ahlers, the City of Newburgh, and FEMA we were able to secure an additional federal investment in the nick of time -- preventing layoffs, and making sure our heroes get the support they deserve."

"There is no way we could have secured this grant without Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney," said Newburgh Fire Chief Terri Ahlers. "With this grant not only have we avoided layoffs, but we now have the manning to keep our firefighters at safe levels. We will now have the people to keep our crews large enough to help avoid injuries, get our hoselines in place quicker to keep fires smaller, and the ability to work more efficiently to get to victims in time. Hopefully, with this hand up, our city can afford to continue with the proper manning levels at the close of this grant."

Maloney has a track record of getting things done for local fire departments. Since joining Congress in January 2013, Maloney has secured a total of $9,032,177 for Hudson Valley fire departments, including over $4,710,216 for Newburgh and nearly $1 million for Poughkeepsie. Although their initial grant application was denied in 2013, Rep. Maloney worked closely with the Newburgh Fire Department and FEMA to ensure the Department received their first SAFER grant, which provided $2.4 million to hire fifteen new firefighters. When twelve firefighters faced layoffs if FEMA did not renew the Newburgh Fire Department's application in December 2015, Maloney worked with FEMA, the City of Newburgh, and the Newburgh Fire Department to prevent layoffs. This kind of follow-up SAFER award is rarely granted, but Maloney has worked since last year to secure the necessary funding. In March, he also wrote a letter in support of Newburgh's application for this investment.

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program is a funding initiative designed to strengthen the nation's ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards and improve the nation's overall level of preparedness. The goal of any SAFER grant is to enhance the ability of grantees to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and to assure that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The grants are awarded on a competitive basis to the applicants that most closely address the program's priorities and demonstrate financial need. More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program can be accessed at https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program

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