City of Tonawanda – Today, Nov. 13, 2025, New York State Assemblyman Bill Conrad announced that he secured $250,000 in new state funding for the City of Tonawanda’s capital needs, with the bulk of the grant going toward equipment and building upgrades for the Tonawanda Fire Department (TFD).

The money covered the purchase of 30 new Motorola APX 6000 portable radios for fire personnel. Radios are considered instrumental to firefighters’ safety and effectiveness, as they are used for communication while en route to calls and on incident scenes. Investigations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health show that communications shortfalls are a common cause of firefighters’ line-of-duty deaths.

The radios replaced older units and are compliant with the current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1802 standard, meaning they are engineered to withstand drop impact, high temperatures, and water and hazmat exposure. They also have larger buttons and ergonomic features that make them easier to operate with gloved hands and give them a better battery life and stronger remote speaker connections. Furthermore, the device software supports data logging and safety alerts.

The NFPA 1802 standard was created after two trapped firefighters in San Francisco died because their microphones failed in high heat, making it impossible for them to transmit their location.

In addition, a portion of the funds was used to renovate the bunk room and shower spaces of the William Street headquarters, to provide more private accommodations for female firefighters. Now, instead of an open sleeping area, there are lockable privacy pods, and the showers and the entrances to them are separated by gender.

The TFD has 29 professional firefighters, 10 volunteer firefighters, and 14 fire police members who help with traffic control. The department averages 3,300 calls a year.

Finally, the grant paid for enhancements to two of the city’s volunteer fire companies’ kitchens. One received a new stove and hood, the other had its stove repaired, and both areas were repainted. Kitchens are critical amenities in fire houses, as the personnel cook and share meals while on duty. For example, the career men and women work 24-hour shifts beginning at 6:45 a.m., so they eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the station.

The remainder of the funding is going toward the construction of a flagpole monument with solar lights at the city’s Ronald J. Pilozzi Pavilion in Niawanda Park.

Assemblyman Bill Conrad said, “As a state lawmaker and chair of the Assembly Subcommittee on Volunteer Emergency Services, I get to interact regularly with fire and rescue personnel from across New York. I have the utmost respect for our first responders and am in awe of the courage they display every day when they report to work. This support for the Tonawanda Fire Department affords these brave men and women safer working conditions, so they in turn can focus their skills on preserving and protecting our safety. I hope they know that this assistance is also a show of gratitude, from me and the people I represent, for the invaluable service they so selflessly and humbly provide to our community.”

City of Tonawanda Mayor John White said, “The City of Tonawanda and I say thank you to Assemblyman Conrad for his insight and determination in assisting emergency services and the men and woman of our fire department. Changing from analog to digital puts the city in communication with our neighbors in North Tonawanda and the Town of Tonawanda, which is so important. We also thank him for working across the aisle and meeting the needs of smaller communities.”

Tonawanda Fire Chief Joe Briggs said, “The men and women of the Tonawanda Fire Department are grateful to Assemblyman Conrad and his office for the support they have shown us in helping acquire this important equipment. Communications are vital to fireground operations, and these radios will go a long way toward helping us protect the citizens of the City of Tonawanda.”