Oswego authorizes deposits for regional fire training and advances funds for station equipment under federal grant

The committee authorized the chamberlain to accept and deposit registration checks for a regional Port City Fire Conference and approved an advance of up to $67,539.01 to buy station equipment covered by an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

Fire Chief Paul Conzone told members the Port City Fire Conference will include an instant command training vendor and is open to fire departments from the region; the fee for outside attendees is $100. He said the training vendor’s fee would total about $12,000 and opening the seminar to other departments helps the city recover costs. Chief Conzone said roughly 30 external participants have indicated interest, with some departments registering multiple attendees.

Separately, the committee approved an advance of up to $67,539.01 to purchase air‑monitoring equipment, a new washer and dryer for turnout gear and other station equipment. Chief Conzone said the purchases are part of an Assistance to Firefighters Grant that will reimburse approximately 95% of costs and that the city’s match is about $3,000. The advance lets the city buy equipment now rather than wait for reimbursement.

Committee members voted in favor of both authorizations. Chief Conzone said he expects the conference to become an annual, regional training opportunity for the city.

Votes - Authorization to accept and deposit Port City Fire Conference registration checks ($100 per outside participant): approved (recorded yes votes during motion: Plunkett, Burridge, Allen, Venucci, Walton). - Advance of up to $67,539.01 to purchase station equipment under Assistance to Firefighters Grant (95% reimbursable; city match ~$3,000): approved (recorded yes votes during motion: Plunkett, Burridge, Allen, Venucci, Walton).