Hinchey, Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Company Celebrate $500,000 Firehouse Grant Awarded from New V-FIRE Program

Shandaken, NY – On Thursday, October 31, Senator Michelle Hinchey joined Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Company in Shandaken to celebrate a $500,000 grant awarded through the first funding round of New York’s Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment (V-FIRE) Grant program created by Hinchey in the State Budget. The grant will allow the Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Company to complete the construction of a new firehouse, replacing its current building, which was first built in 1953.

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “When it comes to saving lives, our fire services should have every tool and resource they need to answer the call. With this $500,000 V-FIRE grant, Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Company can finally expand and build the new firehouse they’ve needed for years. I developed V-FIRE to bring real investment into local fire departments, especially those like Big Indian, that serve rural and upstate areas with limited funding avenues for essential safety and modernization upgrades. It’s incredibly exciting to see Big Indian awarded as one of the first recipients of this new program.”

Fire Chief Derek Stapleton said, “Without Senator Hinchey's dedication, support, and development of grant programs like this, volunteer firehouses like ours could not afford to grow and improve our stations and equipment. These vital improvements, such as our new building that is being built, lead to better service and protection for our community, an outcome we all benefit from.”

Established by Hinchey, the V-FIRE grant program provides volunteer fire departments across New York State with grants for equipment and infrastructure upgrades to support emergency response. Last week in Greene County, Hinchey helped announce first-round funding awards to 88 volunteer fire departments, including Big Indian-Oliverea Fire Company. The full list of awardees can be found on the DHSES website.
 

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