The Albany Fire Department secured two grants exceeding $400,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a new Deputy Fire Marshal role. Spanning two years, these grants originate from FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program and will fund the position along with related expenses within the department’s Fire & Life Safety Division. The program backs initiatives designed to lower the risk of fatalities and injuries caused by fire and related dangers.
Albany’s application garnered letters of support from State Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, State Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, and U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum. The new role aims to address a staffing shortfall within the Fire & Life Safety Division.
As Albany and Millersburg have expanded, the division’s inspection and prevention responsibilities have surpassed its capabilities. The department has had to adopt a primarily reactive stance toward inspections and other life-safety operations.
The additional Deputy Fire Marshal is projected to boost the division’s inspection capacity by nearly 500 inspections each year. This increase will help clear the current backlog, enhance code compliance, and strengthen community risk reduction initiatives.
The new position will also enable current staff to dedicate more attention to plan reviews, complex code matters, fire investigations, and other strategic objectives. “These grants are a significant opportunity and an important first step in building the capacity our Fire & Life Safety Division needs,” LaBelle said.
“A community our size, with the growth and unique industries we have, requires a more proactive approach to risk reduction,” he said. “This position moves us in that direction and supports our mission to Prevent and Protect from Harm.”
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