Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) secured $65,000 for the Milton Fire Department to purchase a utility task vehicle and other equipment for use in wooded areas and challenging terrain.

Jacobson joined members of the fire department to announce the funding and see the new vehicle, a Polaris Trail Boss. Before the department purchased this truck, they would have to call in vehicles from nearby fire companies to assist with certain calls.

“I have all different types of fire departments in my district – city fire departments, some that are purely suburban, and others, such as Marlboro and Milton, that are a mixture,” Jacobson said. “A handy vehicle like this can go to all different places, such as farms and woods.”

1st Assistant Chief Matthew Kneeter noted that they’ve already used the vehicle on calls. “We’re a very diverse Fire District, between the mountains, the apple orchards and the CSX train tracks here on the river,” he said. “We never had a vehicle that could get into some places where we needed to go. Now we have something where we can get into tighter spaces and effectively do our jobs.”

Before this purchase, the department talked about getting a utility task vehicle for more than a decade.

The department is also ordering a skid unit that holds water and a hose reel, along with a special basket to carry people during rescues. A trailer will allow the vehicle to be transported throughout the county.

“One of the reasons this priority funding is so great is that when we give money directly to a volunteer fire department or a library, there’s no real bureaucracy. You know the money is going to be spent efficiently,” Jacobson said. “It’s so important that we do this. The more money I can bring back from Albany, the less money that the local taxpayers have to pay. It’s a win-win for everybody.”