Binghamton Fire Department receives over $1 million in funding

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Binghamton Fire Department is receiving over $1.8 million from the feds, to hire eight new firefighters.

Senator Chuck Schumer announced over $3.2 million in federal funding is going to the Binghamton and Elmira fire departments to train and hire new staff.

The funding is through the US Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER program.

The Binghamton Fire Chief, Alan Gardiner says the department has been understaffed. But the funding will help situate the staffing closer to the National Fire Protection Association’s standards.

“Well, we have more retirements coming up in April, so we’re going to be down about twelve. So, our next probationary class might be about twenty. Twenty firefighters, which will probably be one of the biggest one’s we’ve had,” said Gardiner.

Gardiner says the extra staff also helps with lowering overtime, which is less of a burden on the taxpayers.

Mayor Jared Kraham says this is the first time that Binghamton is receiving funding through the SAFER program in more than ten years.

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