U.S. grant to target RVCFD safety, recruitment

Rockville Centre will receive more than $865,000 in a federal grant to help fund the village fire department.

The RVCFD is one of three fire departments on Long Island to receive funding through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response [SAFER] program, administered through the United States Department of Homeland Security and FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The Lynbrook Fire Department and the Great Neck Alert company were the other two departments to receive the funding.

The awards, of which Rockville Centre’s was the largest, are designed to ease the rising costs of equipment and fire training. The funds can go toward training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness and modifications to fire stations and facilities.

“With these funds, Long Island residents can rest easy knowing even more firefighters stand at the ready to protect their community,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “This investment will help ensure that our local heroes have the personnel on their team to work as efficiently and effectively as possible to save lives.”

According to village spokesman Jeff Kluewer, SAFER will support a four-year recruitment and retention program, designed to attract 80 new volunteers to the department and provide incentives for specialty training. Among other things, the grant will fund a part time program manager and includes a marketing program, tuition assistance, and a length of service award program..

“This program will assist our department in continuing its 100-year-plus tradition of providing emergency services to our residents and the public,” said Mayor Francis Murray, “and will help the department grow and flourish over the next four years and beyond.”

The grant application, which was prepared by Denis McCabe, one of the part-time grant writers hired by the mayor last year, notes that a third of the current fire department members are over the age of 55. The application also states that the department had been paying for an outside ambulance service to respond during weekdays.

“This award will enable us to add to our ranks and to better train our membership in order to better serve the people of Rockville Centre,” said Chief of the Fire Department John Busching. “This will enhance firefighter safety and provide better protection for the public.”

In a letter to each of the seven fire companies in the village, the Mayor explained how the village received the federal grant, noting that it was the first time the village had received a grant of its kind.