Patchogue, NY - August 24, 2018 - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced today that the Montauk Fire Department has been awarded a $175,562 grant for equipment upgrades through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. In September 2017, Congressman Zeldin voted to fully fund the AFG program at $345 million as part of the Make America Secure Appropriations Act of 2018 (H.R. 3219).
“Our first responders put their lives on the line each and every day to protect us, and it is our responsibility to ensure they have everything they need to safely and effectively do their jobs,” said Congressman Zeldin. “That’s why today I am proud to announce this essential funding for Montauk Fire Department, so they can make necessary equipment upgrades and purchases to continue to exceptionally serve our community.”
Montauk Chief Fire Engineer Vincent Franzone said, “It is with great pleasure that I have received the news from Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters grant program that the Montauk Fire Department will receive $175,562. This money will help the purchase of much needed pre-hospital cardiac care equipment that allows us to continue the outstanding service our Emergency Medical Technicians have been providing. As with most east end towns our population swells from a modest 4,000 to well over 75,000 in the peak season, our proximity to Stony Brook Hospital, an hour away, makes the job of our EMTs that of life support, not just transport. This grant allows us to purchase equipment that will relay vital information to the hospital while en route that will without a doubt save lives. I would like to thank Donna Hitscherich, Dawn Lucas, Captain Dustin Lightcap and Lieutenant Robert Mautshke for making this grant process a success for the Montauk Fire Department along with the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant.”