September 2020
Hello, and welcome to this month’s edition of Montauk Fire Department Corner. I hope everyone has been enjoying the summer, and is getting ready for a beautiful, safe, fall season.
I have two event announcements to make, and I am pleased to tell you about two FEMA grants the Montauk Fire Department recently secured from the federal government.
Unfortunately, this year’s Big Bucks Bonanza party, usually held on the 3rd Sunday of September, has been cancelled due to COVID-19. The drawing will still take place and can be seen live on Instagram starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 20th. I wish all ticket holders the best of luck. Also, this year, again due to the COVID-19, the Montauk Fire Department’s Annual Inspection Dinner has been cancelled. I know we are all looking forward to getting the virus behind us and getting back to normal in 2021.
The Montauk Fire Department was recently awarded two federal grants from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The first grant for $7,500.00 was a FEMA Federal Assistance to Fire Fighters COVID-19 Supplemental Grant. These funds were used to purchase four Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR’s). These reusable respirators provide our first responders with over two and a half times the protection provided by the N95 masks. As you can imagine during these trying times, safety is paramount for our personnel responding to calls. These respirators lend that extra layer of safety to our first responders.
The second grant, in the amount of $106,000.00, was a FEMA Federal Assistance to Fire Fighters grant. These funds were used to upgrade our current fleet of three ambulances with Striker power loading stretchers. These stretchers assist our ambulance personnel with the loading and unloading of patients at the scene and when reaching the hospital.
These two grants bring the total of grants received by the Montauk Fire Department in the last three years to an impressive $300,000.00. This has gone a long way towards upgrading our operation, assisting our volunteers, and giving the best possible service to our citizens and visitors in the Montauk Community. I would like to express special thanks to firefighter and paramedic Donna Hitscherich for her tireless research and for the application writing for these grants. I would also like to thank Dawn Lucas, Montauk Fire District’s Secretary, and MFD Ex- Chief Vinnie Franzone for their assistance in these projects.
That’s all for now. Thanks for keeping up with what is happening at the Montauk Fire Department. I look forward to bringing you up to date next month.
~ Mitchell Valcich, Chief, Montauk Fire Department
https://www.montaukfiredistrict.org/
