PRESS RELEASE
POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – On Monday, Aug. 5, Congressman Pat Ryan delivered $1.4 million in federal funding to the Rifton Fire District, Tivoli Fire Department, Arlington Fire District, Kripplebush Fire District, and Beacon Fire Department and celebrated his nominations of the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, the Port Jervis Fire Department, and the Arlington Fire District for federal Community Project Funding for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025).
Ryan joined with leaders from the fire departments to celebrate the announcement. As part of his Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Community Project Funding nominations, Ryan fought for $500,000 for the Rifton Fire District and $500,000 for the Tivoli Fire Department to undertake critical firehouse construction projects and infrastructure overhauls. Ryan recently secured $114,285 for the Kripplebush Fire District for safety and operations improvements, $240,920 for the Arlington Fire District to complete crucial firehouse safety improvements and to bolster its technical rescue training, and $67,061 for the City of Beacon Fire Department to invest in new radio equipment. Ryan is currently fighting for $2.65 million in FY25 Community Project Funding for the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, the Port Jervis Fire Department, and the Arlington Fire District.
“Our firefighters are heroes, working around the clock with the sole focus of protecting others – that’s why, every single day, I’m pushing to make sure they have the resources they need and deserve to keep both us and themselves safe,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “From fighting tooth and nail for every last dollar of Community Project Funding to overhaul the firehouses for Tivoli and Rifton to securing landmark funding for state of the art equipment for Beacon, Kripplebush, and Arlington, when our fire departments are fully equipped, we are all safer. I’ll keep fighting to deliver for all of our first responders.”
“The safety of Dutchess County residents is a top priority, one that we at every level of government – local, county, state and federal – share and take very seriously,” said Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino. “Strengthening our local fire departments with this federal funding will enhance these departments’ ability to respond to emergencies, and we appreciate Rep. Ryan’s efforts to secure these grants.”
“We greatly appreciate Congressman Ryan’s efforts to secure this important funding,” said Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers. “Making structural repairs to the Hooker Avenue Fire Station is essential, and this money would go a long way to achieving the goal. This funding also would enable the city to bring energy efficiency to a century-old building. I thank Congressman Ryan for fighting for these funds and for understanding the importance of putting resources into helping our first responders do their jobs to protect the community.”
“The City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department is extremely grateful for the assistance in our application to get the proposed repairs done to Station 7,” said City of Poughkeepsie Fire Chief Joseph Franco. “This is a firehouse that first opened in 1929, and it is truly the Community’s station. In particular, the City Team starting with former Acting City Administrator Ron Knapp, City Engineer Rich DuPilka, Deputy Fire Chief Vincent Parise, Finance Commissioner Dr Brian Martinez, and City Public Works Commissioner Chris Gent all got together to form a plan and submit the application to our Federal government partners. The assistance of US Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Pat Ryan cannot be understated. Congressman Ryan’s office has been in contact with us and has moved this application to where it is today. They have gone the extra mile to make this happen. These repairs, when all are completed, are expected to give us another 40-50 years of service out of this fire station.”
“We are extremely grateful for the nomination to receive this community funding,” said City of Poughkeepsie Deputy Fire Chief Vinny Parise. “ This funding will help with much needed repairs to the 96 year old Hooker Avenue firehouse. The Hooker Avenue firehouse built in 1929, is the oldest active firehouse in the city, and provides a large portion of the south side of Poughkeepsie with fire protection. When constructed, this firehouse was built like many others of its time. We are very fortunate to have had this building stand up for nearly 100 years. Over time, the infrastructure has deteriorated and though the city has made improvements to the building, the larger repairs to the main construction of the building is in critical need of repair. With limited vacant land to construct a new facility, it is crucial that we make the necessary repairs to this historic building on the Southside of Poughkeepsie. With funding allocated for this project, the residents of Poughkeepsie will continue to receive the high level of emergency service the fire department provides. After these critical repairs to the Hooker Avenue firehouse are completed, this firehouse will continue to provide fire protection to the residents of Poughkeepsie for another 30 to 40 years.”
“This grant will help two very different, but equally critical programs within the Arlington Fire District,” said Arlington Fire District Chief William Steenbergh. “Our Rochdale firehouse was built nearly 70 years ago as a volunteer station and simply does not meet the needs for a station that is staffed by a crew of on-duty firefighters and paramedics 24/7. We are preparing to undertake a renovation to the facility to make it better prepared for today’s use. This grant will jumpstart that by equipping the station with a new sprinkler system that will offer vitally important protections to keep our personnel safe while on duty. This grant will also allow us to continue to train and refine our skills in the highly specialized and often dangerous area of technical rescue. As a regional resource, we have responded across the Hudson Valley to assist local departments when these infrequent, but highly complex incidents occur. This grant will allow us to train more of our responders and provide them with critical skills to both safety and effectively operate at technical rescue incidents. Together, this grant will help keep both Arlington firefighters and Hudson Valley families safer.”
“On behalf of the Rifton Fire District, we would like to thank Congressman Ryan for his support through the Community Funded Projects Program,” said Serina Bass, Secretary of the Rifton Fire Board of Commissioners. “This funding will be instrumental to the much-needed rebuilding of the fire hall and for the community and volunteer members to move forward reconnecting in a safe environment.”
“Since the Tivoli Firehouse endured a devastating fire years back we have been dedicated to rebuilding both in growing our volunteer department to now one of the largest in the region and expanding our training and mutual aid,” said Tivoli Fire Chief Marc Hildenbrand. “The commitment that our Congressman Pat Ryan has made by prioritizing the firehouse in his Community Funded Projects is one more essential step forward in realizing our expansion to not only support our entire service area but to invest back in these incredible volunteers donating countless hours that our families, neighbors and friends rely on each and everyday.”
“The City of Beacon Fire Department and Beacon Professional Firefighters are proud to announce the receipt of a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant,” said Beacon Fire Department Chief Thomas Lucchesi. “With help and support from Congressman Pat Ryan and other elected officials, City of Beacon Fire Department has received over $67,000 for the purchase of new radio equipment. The new radios will enhance our firefighters’ safety and operational capabilities while protecting the citizens of Beacon and assisting our surrounding agencies.”
“The grant will provide our City the ability to replace an aging apparatus that is critical in protecting the Port Jervis community,” said Port Jervis Fire Chief Keith Brown.
Among the funding projects Ryan secured from his FY2024 Community Project awards were $500,000 for the Tivoli Fire Department firehouse and $500,000 for the Rifton Fire Department firehouse. Descriptions for the two major infrastructure projects are as follows:
Tivoli Firehouse: The Tivoli Volunteer Fire Department is the primary source of emergency services for the Village of Tivoli and several surrounding communities making it a high interest and priority for local taxpayers. With over 100 years in service, the Tivoli Firehouse serves as a vital regional Fire Department to communities that include Tivoli, Red Hook and all of Bard College along with mutual aid into Clermont and Germantown. Since the pandemic the Tivoli Firehouse has more than doubled in size providing essential rescue, fire, medical and mutual aid support to thousands of residents making this expansion critical in not only serving the community but to expand its community service. These tireless volunteers are on a call 365 days a year and participate in over 7,000 hours annual in emergency, rescue and medical. The Tivoli Firehouse also provides the interior fire training for all of upper Dutchess County neighboring fire houses. This expansion will ensure continued access to emergency, medical and fire services in this rural community. This project will support essential community infrastructure for a rural community
Rifton Firehouse: These funds will be used for the construction of a fire department, which is a necessary community facility serving the public good and promoting the safety of the surrounding area. The building that the fire department operates in was built in 1943 and requires necessary renovations and upgrades to be usable. This project ensures that the Rifton Fire Department will remain in operation and continue to serve the community of Rifton, NY and surrounding areas. Additionally, the building would continue to serve as a popular gathering location for local residents. This project will support essential community infrastructure for a rural community.
Congressman Ryan also secured Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the City of Beacon Fire Department, the Arlington Fire District, and the Kripplebush Fire District. Ryan delivered $67,061 for the City of Beacon Fire Department to invest in new radio equipment that will improve communication and emergency response coordination both internally within the Fire District as well as with surrounding agencies. The $240,920 that Ryan secured for the Arlington Fire District will jumpstart the rehabilitation of the nearly 70 year old Rochdale firehouse by installing crucial sprinkler systems within the firehouse, improving the safety of the firehouse for the emergency responders who staff the firehouse 24/7. The funding will also enhance the District’s vital technical rescue training for its crews, improving the safety of both first responders during extremely perilous emergencies as well as increase rescue success.
Ryan also championed three of his nominations for FY2025 Community Project Funding. Ryan has nominated the Arlington Fire District, the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, and the Port Jervis Fire Department for landmark funding to modernize the departments with cutting edge equipment and complete critical infrastructure overhauls that will increase the safety of first responders as well as improve their abilities to respond to emergencies and keep their communities safe. Descriptions for the three departments’ proposed projects are as follows:
Port Jervis Fire Department: The funding would be used for the purchase of a pumper for the Port Jervis Fire Department (PJFD). The fire department’s current pumper is over 20 years old and is aging. The project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will maintain the reliability of the Department and enable the PJFD to continue responding to an increasing number of emergency calls, protecting public safety.
Arlington Fire District: The funding for Arlington Fire Station 4 Functional Upgrades would be used for renovations and capital improvements to the 50-year-old fire station building, including renovations to create separate sleeping quarters for men and women firefighters, expanding the truck bays to accommodate larger, modern fire apparatuses, and installing proper shower and decontamination facilities for on-duty firefighters. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because these necessary renovations will provide firefighters adequate quarters, and ensure crucial upgrades that will enhance firefighter response time and capacity.
City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department: The funding would be used for critical repairs of the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department’s fire station, which is approximately 100 years old. This project would address identified structural defects to the main floor, as well as improvements to the building envelope. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the renovations will promote energy efficiency of the fire station and enhance firefighter response time and capacity.
Congressman Ryan serves on the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, today’s funding announcements builds on his record of delivering major funding for local fire departments and emergency responders. In 2023, Ryan secured $30,817.27 in federal grants for the Newburgh Fire Department and a $324,450 Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) for the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department to invest in new critical breathing equipment. Poughkeepsie’s AFG award followed Ryan joining his colleagues in urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to provide at least $405 million for the Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program and $405 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program for Fiscal Year 2024.
In May of 2023, Ryan partnered with Hudson Valley fire departments to announce his “Fighting for Our Firefighters” legislative plan. The plan would support families of fallen firefighters, screen for occupation-related cancers, and protect firefighters’ Social Security and pensions. Ryan has also fought to protect firefighters from PFAS exposures.
Ryan is also a staunch advocate for Hudson Valley firefighters. In December of 2023, he honored the firefighters and first responders who saved multiple lives responding to a house explosion in Wappingers Falls in a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. Ryan also spearheaded efforts to install a crash gate, long-called for by first responders, on I-84 in Orange County where a bus overturned in late 2023.
Ryan co-sponsors the following legislation to support firefighters and first responders:
FIRE STATION Act
- Expanding Health Care Options for First Responders Act
- Federal Firefighter Cancer Detection and Prevention Act
- Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act
- Federal Firefighters Pay Equity Act
- 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act
- Social Security Fairness Act, a bill that would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and ensure retired firefighters can receive their full Social Security.
