The Sennett Fire Department has secured more than $1 million in state and federal funding to renovate its longtime fire station and replace aging thermal imaging cameras.
The largest award is a $1 million grant through New York’s Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment program, which will be used for renovations and improvements at Station 1 on Turnpike Road.
The department said the work will improve safety and efficiency while updating the station to meet current operational and safety standards.
Station 1 has served the department and Sennett community since 1965. Officials said the grant will allow the district to make needed upgrades that will prepare the nearly 62-year-old facility for continued use in the years ahead.
The V-FIRE program is administered by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and provides funding to volunteer fire agencies for facility construction and renovations as well as new equipment.
The department separately announced a $27,142 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
That funding will go toward a $28,500 project to purchase new thermal imaging cameras and vehicle chargers. The department’s existing cameras are nearly 20 years old and have become unreliable.
Thermal imaging cameras allow firefighters to locate people and other firefighters in low-visibility conditions, identify the location and spread of a fire and assist during rescue operations. The department also uses the equipment during nighttime motor vehicle crashes and live-fire training.
The federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant program provides funding to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations for equipment, protective gear, vehicles, training and other emergency response resources.
Combined, the two awards provide Sennett with $1,027,142 toward fire protection infrastructure and equipment.
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