07/23/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Delivers Critical New Fire Engine to Stratford, NY Volunteer Fire Department
Media Contact:
Julie A. Burline
315-708-8132
The Stratford Volunteer Fire Department extends its sincere appreciation to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for making the replacement of its 59-year-old fire engine possible.
Through the Fiscal Year 2023 AFG Program, FEMA awarded Stratford $649,523.80 toward the purchase of a new Pumper/Tanker.
The Department provided the required $32,476.20 non-federal share, resulting in a total project budget of $682,000.
At the time of its application, Stratford was still actively responding to emergencies with a 1965 fire engine. Although the Department’s volunteers had meticulously maintained the apparatus for nearly six decades, it no longer met modern Department of Transportation or NFPA safety standards. A second engine, already 31 years old, was also experiencing significant mechanical problems.
FEMA’s support allowed Stratford to purchase a modern Pumper/Tanker manufactured by Fort Garry Fire Trucks and sold by Vander Molen Fire Apparatus Sales and Service. The apparatus is built on a Freightliner M2-112 two-door chassis and features a heavy-duty extruded aluminum body constructed from 5083 saltwater marine-grade aluminum. It is supported by a 20-year body and subframe warranty and a 10-year paint warranty.
The engine is equipped with a Hale QMAX pump capable of delivering 1,500 gallons per minute and carries 1,500 gallons of water. Its enclosed pump module and heavy-duty heat enclosures will protect critical equipment during the harsh winter conditions experienced throughout the Adirondack region.
Its firefighting capabilities include two 1½-inch speedlays, two 2½-inch discharges on the left side, two 2½-inch discharges and one 3-inch discharge on the right side, a rear 2½-inch discharge and a 4-inch front suction. A Zico drop-down tank-storage system carries a 2,100-gallon portable water tank, providing an important water-supply capability in rural areas without municipal hydrants.
Additional features include Amdor roll-up compartment doors, a stainless-steel rear body-access ladder, a Whelen M-Series LED warning-light package and HiViz FireTech LED scene lighting on all sides. These systems will improve equipment access, emergency visibility and firefighter safety during nighttime incidents and operations along rural roadways.
The apparatus was delivered and formally accepted in July 2026. Representatives provided comprehensive instruction covering the chassis, transmission, pump, electrical systems, hydrant operations, drafting, water-tank operations, maintenance and winterization. The vendor invoice was paid in full in July 2026.
The new Pumper/Tanker is expected to serve the community for approximately 30 years and respond to an estimated 1,350 emergency calls. It will strengthen fire protection in Stratford while supporting mutual-aid operations throughout Herkimer and Fulton counties.
The Department sincerely thanks the offices of Senator Charles Schumer and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for their assistance and support throughout the grant process. Their bipartisan efforts helped secure the federal funding needed to replace Stratford’s 59-year-old engine and demonstrate the importance of working across party lines to strengthen public safety in rural communities.
The Stratford Volunteer Fire Department is deeply grateful to FEMA and the AFG Program for recognizing the needs of a small, rural volunteer department. Without this federal partnership, replacing a nearly six-decade-old engine would have placed an extraordinary financial burden on the Department and the community it serves.
Grant: EMW-2023-FG-09516
Period of Performance: August 7, 2024–August 6, 2026
Federal Award: $649,523.80
Non-Federal Share: $32,476.20
Julie A. Burline
MJ Burben, Inc.
(315) 708-8132 (cell)
(315) 922-7183 (office)
[email protected]
Photo's courtesy of the Stratford, NY Volunteer Fire Department
