Senator Hinchey Announces Over $3.1M in Funding to Improve Emergency Communications Infrastructure in Albany, Greene, Montgomery, Schenectady, and Ulster Counties

ALBANY, NY – Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD-46) today announced that all five counties of the 46th District have been awarded state funding through the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program, enabling local governments to improve and expand local emergency response capabilities.

“Our upstate communities severely lack the financial resources to bring our emergency response infrastructure into the 21st century, and this vital state funding is a major step toward upgrading the systems our first responders, law enforcement, and public safety officials need to carry out their life-saving work,” said Senator Michelle Hinchey. “When disaster strikes, our residents should not be put in danger because of outdated crisis response systems, which is why establishing greater equity in upstate infrastructure investments is an urgent priority. I will continue to work alongside my partners at all levels of government to fight for the aid our communities need to modernize our local safety networks." 

The Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant, which is formula-based and funded by cellular surcharge revenue, allows counties to make vital improvements to systems that first responders use to communicate between one another and across different regions of the state. Counties in Senator Hinchey’s district are receiving a total of $3,172,123 in funding through the latest round. This year’s SD-46 allocations are as follows:

• Albany County: $1,200,054
• Greene County: $448,006
• Montgomery County: $374,781
• Schenectady County: $608,673
• Ulster County: $540,609
   

Administered by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES), the State Interoperable Communications Grant has awarded $472 million to New York’s municipalities over nine rounds since December 2011. Eligible counties can use the funding for a variety of functions relating to improved capability, operating procedures, communications systems, and infrastructure.

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