St. Regis Falls Fire and Ambulance will get $153,362 to update equipment and facilities.

The funds will be “used to update certain tools crucial to the fire department, such as wellness and fitness programs equipment, personal protective equipment and modifications to facilities. The funds will also be used to upgrade apparatus, such as pumpers, aerials, brush trucks, tankers/tenders, rescue vehicles, and ambulances,” U.S. Democrat senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said in a news release.

The money comes through the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

The grants are awarded on a competitive basis to the applicants that most closely address the program's priorities and demonstrate financial need.

“These much needed federal funds will provide crucial assistance, such as improving existing facilities and upgrading personal protective equipment the St. Regis Falls Ambulance, Inc. needs and deserves. These first responders risk their lives every day, protecting and safeguarding our residents and loved ones. It is our responsibility to ensure they have the proper resources and funding to perform their duties safely and effectively,” Schumer said in a prepared statement.

“These federal funds will allow our first responders in Franklin County to purchase the up-to-date equipment they need to stay safe and do their jobs effectively,” Gillibrand said in the release. “We need to do everything we can to protect the men and women who risk their lives every day in the face of danger, and I will always fight in the Senate to make sure that our first responders are given the support they deserve.”