The New Hyde Park Fire Department is receiving $6,000 in community revitalization funds from Nassau County to buy the latest generation of multi-gas detection meters.
The funds, secured through Nassau County Legislator Richard Nicollelo (R-NHP), will cover all but $2,000 of the cost for 10 multi-gas meters the department already ordered, according to New Hyde Park Fire Department Chief John Willers.
“We’re just trying to get more equipment to help us do our job,” Willers said. “The department will start to put money toward the meters.”
The county funds help replace a $10,000 state grant the fire department had secured through state Sen. Craig Johnson that was lost – although never officially rescinded – after Johnson lost his seat in the 7th state Senate District to Jack Martins last year. It was simply left in an unfunded limbo along with grants for fire departments throughout the senate district that Johnson and his staff had promised to provide.
Originally, the fire department had planned to purchase two new meters for $3,500 for two new meters and the requisite calibration and recharging equipment, according to Willers, who said the funding shortfall doesn’t really leave the department at a loss.
But he said the fire department is putting plans to purchase a new thermal-imaging camera on hold. The $10,000 state grant would have covered the cost of that camera and the new gas meters, Willers said.
“The thermal imaging camera is put to the side for now” said Willers, noting that the fire department does have two thermal-imaging cameras in use now.
Thermal imaging cameras are used to detect the presence of people in a house fire.
On the state grant front, the New Hyde Park Fire Department still has a $150,000 grant in process with the state Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to cover the cost of repairs to the parking lot of its departmental headquarters on Jericho Turnpike.
That grant was secured through Johnson, but Willers said paperwork with the state authority has been going back and forth and the department has not received notification that the grant has been rescinded.
“The parking lot repair had to be done anyway. We still have hopes,” Willers said.
The cost of the parking lot repair was approximately $100,000, according to Willers, who said the remaining $50,000 is intended for improvements to the department’s headquarters.
