Niagara Leader

Lockport, New York – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) joined Niagara County Legislators Anthony Nemi, Shawn Foti, and Christopher McKimmie, President of FASNY Edward Tase Jr., Niagara County Director of Emergency Services and Fire Coordinator Jonathan Schultz, and numerous local volunteer firefighters to call on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to reconsider expanding regulations that could threaten the closure of volunteer fire departments across New York.

In February, OSHA unveiled a new safety and health standard to replace the Fire Brigades Standard, suggesting 22 additional rules for all fire departments. These encompass obligatory facility upgrades and enhanced training requirements. However, the proposal overlooks the substantial financial and operational constraints faced by numerous volunteer fire departments. In May, Tenney sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of Labor Douglas Parker urging OSHA to reconsider these rules and extend the public comment period.

“Thank you to the outstanding volunteer firefighters from our community for joining me in urging OSHA to reconsider the 22 additional rules that would burden our local fire departments,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “NY-24 depends on volunteer firefighters to keep our community safe, putting their lives on the line to save others. We must ensure they are not hampered by burdensome and costly regulations that could lead to closures or limited access to emergency services in our rural communities. I will continue advocating against these regulations and work to ensure our rural and volunteer fire departments have the resources they need.”

“The new OSHA standards on paper may look like they make sense but what does it look like in the real world for our first responders, whether it's the biggest department in the Country or a rural volunteer fire department like the majority of Niagara County and the United States. Change is good, but this change may cripple some of our agencies right here in Niagara County both manpower-wise and financially,” said Jonathan Schultz, Niagara County Fire Coordinator and Director of Emergency Services.

"I was happy to join with my fellow legislators, Shawn Foti and Chris McKimmie, in support of Congresswoman Tenney's efforts to put the brakes on these OSHA regulations. The fact is recruiting new volunteers to our local fire departments is extremely challenging and these regulations will only make that problem worse. Everyone supports necessary safety measures, but local fire departments, especially in rural communities, need to be part of the decision-making process. There's still time to get this right," said Tony Nemi, Vice Chairman of the Niagara County Legislature.