Saranac Lake (left) and Lake Placid firefighters use their ladder trucks, spears and hoses to fight a fire above Chinese Restaurant No. 1 in Saranac Lake in February 2014. (Corporate photo — Peter Crowley)

SARANAC LAKE — Two local fire departments will receive state grants for facilities or equipment as part of a $25 million package announced Friday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

This funding, provided through the Voluntary Fire Infrastructure and Response Equipment Grant Program, is provided to 88 organizations statewide through the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.

The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department will receive $200,532 for facilities and the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department will receive $217,360 for equipment.

“Volunteer firefighters exemplify the best public servants, and an investment in them is an investment in the safety of the communities they serve.” Hochul said in a statement. “These donations will provide volunteer firefighters with the resources they need to continue protecting New Yorkers; a fitting support for their professionalism and the inestimable weight of their efforts.”

The Volunteer Fire Infrastructure and Response Equipment Grant Program supports the safety, health and wellness of volunteer firefighters by providing adequate and up-to-date equipment, including personal protective equipment, decontamination equipment and supplies, and effective exhaust removal systems.

Additionally, the V-FIRE Grant Program will support the consolidation of fire service resources through regionalization efforts to expand above and beyond jurisdictions to further enhance local, county, and statewide response efforts.

Allowable costs include new construction or renovation of existing fire stations, classrooms, meeting spaces, or training centers, as well as the installation of exhaust and decontamination systems or the purchase of equipment such as firefighter PPE, PPE washers and dryers, and firefighter rehabilitation equipment. .

“Our volunteer firefighters risk their lives every time they prepare to help people in need.” New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said in a press release. “Through the V-FIRE Grant Program, we are working to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. “We thank our volunteers for their service and are grateful for the work they do to keep their communities safe.”

Applications from volunteer fire departments were competitively evaluated and scored by a team of officers with the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services using a multi-layered list of criteria.

The scoring process evaluated not only the timeliness and completeness of applications, but also a number of other factors, including the department’s annual operating budget. Priority was given to those with smaller annual operating budgets.