We are happy to announce that we have been named a recipient of a CREST grant from the State of New York in collaboration with State Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg. The $20,000 grant will be utilized to purchase a new battery-operated ram for automobile extrication, as well as a new strut kit to assist in vehicle stabilization. The Press Release is below:

State Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg Secures $595,000 in Grants for First Responders in District

State Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg recently secured nearly $600,000 in capital and operating grants for first responder organizations in Assembly District 95. The recipients of funding are:

The Village of Croton Fire Department for a new tower ladder truck ($250,000)
The Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps for a new ambulance ($200,000)
The Yorktown Heights Fire Department for a new fire training center ($125,000)
Buchanan Fire Company No. 1 for extrication and auto accident equipment ($20,000)

The grants were secured through New York State’s Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability and Technology (CREST) program and the fiscal year 2025 state budget, as part of New York State’s ongoing efforts to support local communities and their economic development.

Of the grant awards, Levenberg said, “We cannot have healthy communities without a strong cadre of first responders. It is an honor to support the work of these four organizations, which provide invaluable, essential services. We are so grateful for all the work our fire departments and ambulance corps do to keep our residents safe and healthy.”

Village of Croton Mayor Brian Pugh said: "Our firefighters provide tremendous skill and talent as volunteers, and they deserve the very best when it comes to equipment. We are very grateful to be able to replace this tower ladder with the help of Assemblywoman Levenberg. Because of this grant and other funding sources, our new ladder truck will only cost Village of Croton taxpayers $10,000. This investment will help our firefighters serve the Village of Croton and an adjoining fire district along with other communities throughout northern Westchester, through mutual aid. Thank you again to Assemblywoman Levenberg and the State of New York for enabling us to make this purchase without overburdening our local taxpayers."

Joshua Karpoff, Chief of the Croton Fire Department, said: "I would like to thank Assemblywoman Levenberg, Mayor Pugh, and the rest of the Village Board and staff for their work to help us replace our aging tower ladder. Our existing apparatus is over 20 years old; to expect it to last much longer would not really be good planning for the future. The new apparatus will be state of the art and allow us to protect not only the Village, our outer fire districts and our mutual aid neighbors, but also one of Metro-North's main maintenance yards, which is right here in Croton. Thank you again to everyone for your efforts in funding this new equipment, and to the members of our fire department for everything they do every day to help this community."

Nick Franzoso, Director of the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps, said: “Thank you to Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, her staff and the NYS Assembly for supporting the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps and EMS services in our community. This vital funding will help ensure our ability to meet the needs of the community and answer our growing call volume.”

Cortlandt Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker said: “We thank Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg for her continued support of emergency responders in the Town of Cortlandt and the Village of Buchanan through her award of a CREST grant to the Buchanan Fire Company. The Tri-Village residents will greatly benefit from the new automobile accident equipment purchase.”

Village of Buchanan Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker said: “On behalf of the Village of Buchanan, I would like to thank Assemblywoman Levenberg for this much-needed funding for equipment for Buchanan Engine Company. The funding is much appreciated, especially as the Village is still dealing with the effects of the closure of our largest taxpayer, Entergy.”

Kieran J. Outhouse, Second Assistant Chief, Buchanan Engine Company No. 1, said: "Our department remains steadfast in our commitment to fiscal responsibility, and thanks to the efforts of Assemblywoman Levenberg, we have secured a grant to update our vehicle extrication equipment. This funding enables us to improve our capabilities and ensure the safety of our community without straining the Village's budget."