Emergency Responders

• Spearheaded the F.I.R.E. Scholarship Award Program.  In order to help recruit, retain and honor first responders for their committed service and dedication to the communities where they volunteer, the Town of Huntington has provided annual F.I.R.E. Scholarship Awards, a tuition reimbursement grant, which awards a $500 scholarship to four outstanding responders. The funding for the scholarship is provided through the Firefighter/Emergency Medical Services Incentive Recruitment Enhancement (F.I.R.E.) Program.
• The Firefighter/Emergency Medical Services Incentive Recruitment Enhancement (F.I.R.E.) Association was created in 2004 by Councilman Mark Cuthbertson with the intention of enhancing recruitment of firefighter and emergency medical services volunteers and to promote public awareness of the need for volunteers in our local departments. Required that portion of fines collected be dedicated to public information outreach and marketing program to attract volunteers for Huntington’s volunteer fire/ems departments has utilized print, television, a website and direct mail campaigns for this purpose and local departments have received help with their volunteer recruitment needs in the form of brochures, banners, signs and recruitment materials.
• Helped establish the Emergency Operations Center where communications and operations during Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy were headquartered.
• Fought for tax breaks for emergency responders.
• Facilitated the donation of pet oxygen masks from the Canine Fence Corporation to all Huntington Fire Departments and annexes.