Schumer Seeking Funding For West Point Fire Department

WEST POINT, NY — United States Army budget cuts have seriously affected the West Point Fire Department, and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer is trying to do something about it.

Standing with West Point firefighters this week at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, Schumer launched a major push to get the fire department more than $1.2 million in funding that it desperately needs through the recently passed federal omnibus appropriations bill.

“Unfortunately, in recent years, these budget shortfalls have left the 40-person department — serving over 6,500 military families and thousands more in surrounding communities — without the tools needed to best respond to over 800 emergencies a year,” Schumer said.

He said the push to get funding follows years of massive budget shortfalls for the West Point Fire Department, including a 92 percent reduction last year that hampered operations and the ability to repair and replace outdated emergency response equipment.

Schumer said that, as a federal fire department serving the military academy as well as surrounding communities, West Point’s firefighters uniquely depend on federal funding through the U.S. Army Installation Management Command for its yearly budget.

That creates a different funding structure than other nearby local fire professional and volunteer departments.

Schumer is calling on the Army Secretary Christine Wormuth to send more than $1.2 million to the West Point Fire Department so it can finally update its equipment, address these shortfalls and continue its lifesaving work in keeping Hudson Valley communities safe.

In the past two years, due to significant non-pay funding shortfalls from the Army, several of the department’s emergency apparatus have failed inspection and have been unable to be repaired or replaced, including but not limited to thermal imaging cameras, breathing air cylinders, structural gear and refrigerators.

As an example, Schumer said a modern hose fire truck can cost in excess of $500,000.

He said the West Point Fire Department requested $1.76 million for fire and emergency services, but received only $90,000 — or 5.1 percent — of the validated request.

The department was able to reallocate $31,400 from a different account to help fund its emergency services requirements, but that was still far below the funding it needs to serve the community. It represents a 92 percent reduction in budget since 2014.