By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul was at the Deer Park Fire Department on October 15 to announce that Long Island will receive $5.3 million to assist volunteer firefighters in training exercises and for new facilities, including a new volunteer firefighters museum.
The Suffolk County Fire Department will receive $300,000 to make capital improvements. These funds will be used to upgrade training equipment, ensuring that firefighters have access to state-of-the-art facilities as they prepare to serve their communities.
The South Floral Park Fire Department will get $2 million to expand its training center. This fire department, which transformed from a struggling unit with 20 members to a thriving organization of 51 volunteers in just a decade, will now have facilities that match its impact and service to the surrounding communities.
The Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department will receive $3 million in funding to repurpose a rundown local motel in Deer Park into a new Volunteer Fire Department Museum. This museum will not only honor the legacy of volunteer firefighters, according to Hochul, but also serve as an educational and community gathering space, inspiring future generations of local heroes.
“This funding will make a real difference for our firefighters and the communities they serve,” Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer said.
“New York’s firefighters serve with unparalleled bravery and dedication,” Hochul said. “Every day, they risk their lives to protect others, often on a volunteer basis, and today we recognize their extraordinary contributions by investing in critical resources for these heroes.”