Washington, D.C. - Two Rochester-area fire departments are getting a $73,000 boost from the federal government to help them upgrade their facilities.
The money was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. It's part of an effort to increase the nation's emergency response preparation.
The Ridge-Culver Fire District in Irondequoit has been awarded $46,585, which it will use to buy a refilling station for their self-contained breathing apparatus. Ridge-Culver crews were among the firefighters that responded to the Christmas Eve ambush on Lake Avenue in Webster.
The Kendall Fire Department has been awarded $27,313, which it will use to buy thermal imaging camera and bailout materials.