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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Pat Harkins |
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Erie County State House Delegation Delivers $25,000 for New Fire Police Mobile Command Center
ERIE, May 30 – The Erie County state House delegation today helped unveil a new mobile command center recently purchased by the Erie County Fire Police Association with a $25,000 grant secured by the lawmakers. The event took place in the Kmart parking lot on Buffalo Road.
The Erie County state House delegation consists of Reps. John Evans (R-5), Flo Fabrizio (D-2), Curt Sonney (R-4), Pat Harkins (D-1) and John Hornaman (D-3). Bob Craig, president, and John Orengia, commissioner of the Erie County Fire Police Association, were also present at the event.
"One of the most basic and important functions of government is to provide for the safety and well-being of residents," said Sonney, whose office helped the Erie County Fire Police Association apply for the grant and coordinated efforts with the rest of the Erie County state House delegation to secure the funding. "This new command center will help our fire police to serve their very important purpose. State government has a responsibility to provide our emergency responders the equipment they need and, today, it has fulfilled that responsibility."
The new command center will be used by the Erie County Fire Police to help coordinate traffic and crowd control at events such as fairs and concerts. It will also be used during emergencies when fire police are called to the scene of an incident.
"To help protect the public, communication is essential, whether our local fire police are staffing an event or responding to an emergency," Evans said. "This mobile command center will allow them to do their jobs to the best of their abilities."
Funding for the new mobile command center was provided through a grant obtained from the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). The new 33-foot trailer will replace an old 24-foot trailer. The old trailer’s roof was in need of repair.
"The people of Erie County and travelers visiting or just passing through will benefit greatly from the availability of the new fire police mobile command center," said Fabrizio. "All of us in the Erie delegation recognized the priority the project deserved and worked together to acquire state funds to help our emergency services, primarily volunteers, provide a level of protection that is effective and reassuring to our residents."
The new mobile command center includes a private radio room, allowing a radio operator to be secluded from disruptions as other emergency responders enter and exit the trailer.
"Firefighters and police officers dedicate their lives to protecting their communities. We need to assist them with keeping their equipment up-to-date so that they can effectively help others and remain safe while doing it," Harkins said.
The main function of a fire police squad within a fire department is to maintain the protection and safety of department personnel and vehicles while at an emergency scene. To accomplish this, fire police often engage in crowd control and help to coordinate and detour traffic away from an accident scene.
"The Fire Police provide a safety network throughout all of our areas, and it is vital to Erie County that we assist in maintaining and improving its resources, like this new mobile command center," said Hornaman. "We were also happy to help them obtain the necessary tax ID and Vendor numbers required to file their application."
After the Erie County Fire Police Association approached Sonney about funding for the new mobile command center, the lawmaker worked with the other four local legislators to advance the funding request.
"I think it really helped that we had all five legislators – Republicans and Democrats – working together on this," Sonney said. "It was definitely a team effort."
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DM/ael
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