Critical funds are coming to a handful of fire departments in the Hudson Valley. 

Rep. Pat Ryan on Monday announced $1.4 million in federal funding for the Rifton Fire District, Tivoli Fire Department, Arlington Fire District, Kripplebush Fire District and Beacon Fire Department. 

The funding includes $500,000 each for the Rifton district and Tivoli department to undertake firehouse construction projects and infrastructure overhauls; $114,285 for the Kripplebush Fire District to make safety and operations improvements; $240,920 for the Arlington Fire District to complete safety improvements to its 50-year-old firehouse and boost technical rescue training; and $67,061 for new radio equipment for the Beacon Fire Department, Ryan said. 

Ryan said he has nominated the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, the Port Jervis Fire Department and Arlington Fire District for a total of $2.65 million next year.

“You can imagine the needs of a volunteer fire department in 1950 are certainly different than the needs of a fully staffed, career-professional fire department, responding to roughly 20 calls a day throughout the town of Poughkeepsie,” said William Steenbergh, Arlington Fire District chief.