Newsday – Long Island Now

Port Washington gets $500G to recruit four new firefighters

12:19 PM By Jennifer Barrios

The Port Washington Fire Department will receive a grant of more than $500,000 to recruit four new firefighters, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement released Wednesday.

The $507,200 grant is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants, as part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Robert Kropacek, chairman of the board of directors of the volunteer Port Washington Fire Department, said in a statement that the grant would help recruit firefighters to cover shifts that can be more challenging to fill.
“This award will bolster and enhance the response of our volunteer firefighters in responding to emergencies, especially during the day-time hours when many volunteers are at work, or in school,” Kropacek said.

The money can be spent on training, equipment, and changes to fire department facilities, among other uses, according to Schumer’s office.

Above: Port Washington firefighters respond to a fire at Hinck’s Deli. (July 12, 2012)