VFD gets $27K federal grant

Friday, December 12, 2025 - 20:14

— Photo from voorheesvillefd.org

A typical drill night activity at the Voorheesville firehouse.

VOORHEESVILLE — The volunteer fire company here has received $27,450 in a federal grant meant to help training, recruitment and retention, and purchasing equipment.

Congressman Paul Tonko announced the 13 federal grants totaling more than $5.45 million in funding for 11 Capital Region fire departments and EMS squads.

The funding comes from two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs for Fiscal Year 2024 — the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program.

“These brave men and women put their lives on the line every single day to keep our families safe, and it is up to us as elected officials to make certain they are properly equipped to safely face the monumental challenges of their jobs,” said Tonko in a release announcing the grants.

Earlier rounds of AFG funding for Fiscal Years 2021, 2022, and 2023, the release said, delivered nearly $3 million for departments in Albany, Ballston Lake, Burnt Hills, Colonie, Glenville, Greenfield, Latham, Menands, North Greenbush, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Scotia, South Glens Falls, Troy, and Watervliet.

In total, the release said, the Fiscal Year 2024 AFG and SAFER programs distributed 1,885 awards totaling $615.6 million in competitive grants for fire departments, non-affiliated EMS organizations, and state fire training academies nationwide.

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