$122G grant to help hire Smithtown firefighters

The Smithtown Fire Department hopes a $122,000 federal grant will help rescuers keep up with increases in medical emergency calls.

Grant money will be used to add firefighters to the department’s emergency medical division, the fire department and elected officials said in a news release.

The money is coming from the federal Department of Homeland Security’s firefighters grant program, which seeks to improve responses to fires and fire-related emergencies. The grant was announced by Democratic Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton).

In the release, Smithtown fire commissioner Tom Buffa says the department has seen an increase in calls for medical emergencies. He could not be reached for further comment. The release did not say how many firefighters would be hired.

Schumer said in a statement the grant would “enable Smithtown to continue to recruit the best and the brightest to protect their communities against the threat of disaster.”