Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), the co-chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, today joined firefighters and local leaders in Clifton today to celebrate his securing over $637,000 in fresh federal funding to help the city construct a new fire station and emergency operations center.

“As the longtime co-chairman of the Fire Services Caucus in Congress, I help lead my colleagues in support of our fire heroes,” said Congressman Pascrell. “Today, Clifton’s emergency operations capabilities are badly outdated. The city has been relying on an emergency vehicle from 2003. That’s back when the Devils won their last Stanley Cup. The new modern center that will be built through this federal money will centralize all planning, technology, and logistics in a single place. It will protect our neighbors and bolster Clifton’s growth. Federal community investments may sound bland, but it is one of my favorite topics because it is an essential and direct way to improve lives. We see that here again today.”

This funding will be used by Clifton to acquire property to construct a new firehouse with an Emergency Operations Center. Currently, the city’s center at City Hall does not meet FEMA guidelines and is not functional so it must be replaced. The current emergency “center” operates primarily out of a vehicle dating back to 2003. When the new fire station and center are completed, they will centralize all emergency planning, technology, and logistics in a single location.

In this year’s government funding process, Congressman Pascrell has secured $17,624,644 for 17 separate community projects throughout New Jersey’s Ninth District. This package included the $637,195 for Clifton.