City Of Newburgh OKs seeking grant to hire firefighters

[x635 4,066]

CITY OF NEWBURGH — The City Council on Monday approved asking the federal government for help in hiring more firefighters.

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130821/NEWS/130829975

[va360 7]

It's about time. It's ashame that a city that see a lot of work only has 10 members on duty a day.

Edited August 21, 2013 by va360

[BFD1054 1,552]

Seth,

The link to the Times Herald Record does not seem to be working. This may be because you have to sign up through their website?

From what i heard, the City has hired (2) who will enter the next academy class. Again, this is not concrete information. Sure other members could give more light to the topic.

However, as va360 stated, it is certainly about time. The NFD is and has been operating under-staffed for quite some time. The members of the NFD do a hell of a job with what they have and what they deal with. But its about time they hire and get some help.

Best of luck to the NFD.

[Newburgher 241]

There will be two new firemen going to the fall academy. Hopefully, there will be more to follow

[antiquefirelt 994]

All I can say is wow. My GF and I were in the city a few weeks ago and ended up spending the night in Stony Point, then travelling up river through Newburgh, damn, looks like times are truly tough there. It's one thing to read about it here, but seeing it really puts the issue into perspective. All I can say is for what it appears the workload is, 10 firefighters per tour has got to make for some long shifts. Good luck to the Brothers there, it appears you'll not have any shortage of work for some time.

[Newburgher 241]

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130919/NEWS/130919703/-1/NEWS

[R1SmokeEater 359]

Good for NFD!

[JetPhoto 626]

Congrats & good luck to the new firefighters

Newburgh Fire Department to get 15 new firefighters with federal grant

NEWBURGH – The Newburgh City Fire Department will grow from its current 55 members to 70 by January as the federal government has committed $2.4 million to hire 15 new paid firefighters.

Fire Chief Michael Vatter hopes to have the new members selected and ready for training within weeks.

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2013/September/20/Nbrg_FD_grant-20Sep13.html

[BFD1054 1,552]

Congrats & good luck to the new firefighters

Last i heard they hired 2 who were to start the next Westchester Career Academy (which may have started?).

15 sounds like a LOT of new hires, especially for Newburgh but they certainly need the help! I know their staffing level is down by around 20 or so.

I'm not good with grants, but will the City be able to keep these hires on the job when the grant expires?

[JetPhoto 626]

I hope they figure a way to keep them

[Newburgher 241]

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2013/December/21/OC_ff_train-21Dec13.html

New firefighters train at Orange County center

Maloney, back right, watches as future firefighters train in the snow

NEW HAMPTON – Newburgh s 15 newest firefighters met with Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney Friday at a live burn training session at the Orange County Fire Training Academy in New Hampton.

The $2.4 million in funding to pay for the additional full-time firefighters for two years came from the federal government.

Thirteen of the new recruits are currently in week seven of their training; two others will train in the spring, according to Newburgh Fire Chief Michael Vatter. They have another seven weeks to go and are scheduled to graduate on February 14th.

All are Orange County residents; most of them from the City Newburgh. Many are longtime residents, but one just became a citizen on September 30 at the Newburgh Armory ceremony.

“So he’s just thrilled to death to be helping the community and working Newburgh and looking to make a difference,” Vatter said.

The recruits all passed a written test, a physical examination, an interview, and a physical fitness test.

“They also took a physical agility test which involves simulating a lot of the physical activities they have to do- up stairs, carrying things, dragging things, hitting things,” Vatter said.

The City of Newburgh had applied for the grant more than once before Maloney took office. The congressman’s office took over the process.

“Through a lot of bumps and turns and no’s we got to a yes,” Maloney said. “And as a result a lot of the guys standing behind me today are going to be working and saving lives in a part of the county that really needs help,”

The new firefighters could be responding to calls as soon as February 15th, the day after graduation.

There are two new recruits in the Westchester Academy that were hired before the grant as well. They will be graduating in the middle of January.