\u201cWe have a growing city around us, and Staten Island is no different. As we continue to operate at normal levels, our whole volume continues to go up across our city,\u201d shared Bonsignore. \u201cSo this helps us start to continue our pathway of modernization. We have to grow and modernize like the rest of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n
New EMS training center<\/p>\n
According to Malliotakis, the largest amount of money \u2014 $5 million \u2014 will go toward renovating a building on Staten Island that will be used for EMS classroom training. The exact location was not immediately clear.<\/p>\n
Currently, personnel must travel to either Randall\u2019s Island or northeastern Queens for training, requiring them to be placed out of service and unavailable for duty during those sessions.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be shorter commutes to training, which means more first responders are available in our communities, and there\u2019ll be better preparedness across the board,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Along with the distance, the Queens training facilities have reached maximum capacity as EMS class sizes have grown in recent years. The new center will accommodate larger classes and continue training new and existing EMS members, which will improve service for Staten Islanders.<\/p>\n
Other improvements<\/p>\n
According to Malliotakis, $2 million of the funding is dedicated to Squad Company 8, Staten Island\u2019s only squad company, which is among the FDNY\u2019s most versatile units and is critical to safety.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnsuring that Squad 8 is safe, modern and an accessible facility is essential to protecting our entire borough and supporting the firefighters who respond to its most complex emergencies,\u201d stated Malliotakis, who had toured the facility earlier in the visit.<\/p>\n
Squad 8 moved into the former Engine 154 firehouse in 2018, but the unit requires additional space to accommodate its larger crew and specialty equipment. The upgrades to the station will include improving the kitchens to support firefighters working 24-hour shifts. These amenities will allow firefighters an opportunity to recover after a run.<\/p>\n
Malliotakis also secured $1 million for generator improvements at FDNY Engine Company 155\/ Ladder Company 78 in New Brighton. This ensures continuous operations during major weather events or outages, especially for firehouses near the water.<\/p>\n
Generator installation in aging firehouses often requires facility modifications or roof reinforcement to support the equipment\u2019s size, resulting in costs significantly higher than residential generators.<\/p>\n
In Brooklyn, FDNY Engine Company 284\/ Ladder Company 149\/Satellite 3 in Dyker Heights will also receive over a million dollars in funding for firehouse improvements, including generator improvements.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo hear this good news, not only for the Staten Island side of my district, but also the Brooklyn side of my district, this investment in these two great firehouses, all these great companies that they serve in Staten Island and southwest Brooklyn, it\u2019s just music to my ears,\u201d said Carr, a Republican who represents the Mid-Island and Brooklyn in the City Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes a very special type of individual to walk into a burning building. When I talk to them, I say \u2018How do you do that?\u2019 Every single one says, \u2018it\u2019s not only the training and the equipment, but it\u2019s the faith that they have in each other,\u2019\u201d said Pirozzolo, a Republican who represents the Mid-Island in the state Assembly. \u201cThat\u2019s what this money is going to do. It\u2019s coming back to Staten Island. It\u2019s going to enhance this facility. It\u2019s going to enhance their training facilities so that they can take care of each other as they do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Along with the new training center and firehouse updates, the package also contributes to the funding of The Zadroga Act\u2019s World Trade Center Health Program. The program, which provides no-cost medical monitoring and treatment for 9\/11-related health conditions, has been fully funded until 2040.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese men and women are true heroes. The people in the fire department and other first responders who reported to 9\/11 and served on 9\/11, would do it again if they had to,\u201d said Bonsignore. \u201cSo thank you for putting the work into caring for all of us for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking to navigate the complexities of grants funding? Lexipol is your go-to resource for state-specific, fully developed grants services that can help fund your needs. Find out more about our grants services<\/a> here.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Police say the gunman was among three people killed in a targeted shooting tied to a family dispute at a Pawtucket hockey rink\n <\/p>\n February 16, 2026 05:05 PM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The Cleveland Clinic\u2019s proposal to open an adult Level 1 trauma center is drawing pushback from MetroHealth\n <\/p>\n February 15, 2026 08:00 AM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n The new AirCare 2, based in Griffin, extends helicopter ambulance coverage across metro Atlanta and western Georgia\n <\/p>\n February 15, 2026 12:00 PM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \n Center County plans to replace 1,031 portable radios and 331 mobile radios, citing aging equipment, rural dead zones and rising replacement costs\n <\/p>\n February 16, 2026 09:22 AM<\/p>\n \u00a9 2026 Staten Island Advance, N.Y.![\"Pawtucket](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/1771282226_481_.jpeg\")
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