story and photo
by Christopher Martin
New York State Department of State has released the projects approved in the $2.4 million awards supporting the “Local Government Efficiency Grant Program” across the state. Grants are awarded to counties and municipalities to fund projects that reduce government costs through consolidations, shared services, or internal efficiencies.
The Brockport Fire District is one of the seven recipients, bringing almost $500,000 to the area in state funding. Those funds will enable the District to purchase furnishings and renovate housing to implement a formalized Mutual Aid Bunk-In program within the Fire District. The program will target student firefighters attending universities close to home: SUNY Brockport, Monroe Community College, Roberts Wesleyan, etc.
The Brockport program is intended to be a joint program with its surrounding fire district neighbors. Strategic Partners will tentatively be Murray Joint Fire District (Holley), Hamlin-Morton-Walker Fire District, Bergen Fire Department, and Churchville Fire Department. The details for the strategic partner agencies are currently being worked out. Brockport is intended to be the home agency as the award recipient, and the agency with the highest call volume.
The focus of the program is to allow students from across NYS who are volunteer firefighters at home to keep their firefighting skills up while attending college in the area. It will also enable them to live near campus without having to endure the high cost of on or off-campus housing while performing a vital community service. The program will offer living quarters at no cost to the student in exchange for their services to the Brockport Fire District and its strategic partner agencies while school is in session. According to Fire Commissioner David Georgiev, this is a win-win-win: for the Fire District, for the community, and for the student firefighters participating.
The Brockport Fire District has welcomed SUNY Brockport students who are firefighters in their home community to volunteer with them while attending college for many years. This program is intended to provide an incentive for more students to volunteer while making their college experience more affordable.
