Chief Joe Rod, Commissioner Hala Makowska, Captain Jorge Rodrigues and Commissioner Alan Schapiro
March 12, 2010
by Christine Yeres
Word went out six months ago that monies from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, were available for the asking—some arduous, persistent asking. Millwood Fire Captain Jorge Rodrigues offered to take up the task, and Chief Joe Rod told him, “Go for it.” “Rodriguez took this on and he worked with Alan Schapiro, one of the fire department’s commissioners,” said Rod, and after months of consulting records and checking every piece of personal protection equipment, with a little help from grantsareus.com the fire company landed the funds.
“The fire company thanks Jorge Rodrigues for his time both volunteering for our company and for this extra effort to bring tax relief to our residents,” said Hala Makowska, chair of the Millwood Board of Fire Commissioners. The money will go entirely for protective gear such as pagers, mobile radios, hand-held personal carbon monoxide detectors—the company possesses seven; the grant will help them supply 15 more to firefighters—and a power saw that can cut through roof rafters, concrete, masonry and metal.
Funds for helmets, boots, gloves, coats, pants are included as well. Some firefighers’ gear has a life expectancy of ten years. Along with “a few good men”—and, Rodrigues said, much support from his wife—he went through the company’s entire wardrobe of protective gear in order to fulfill grant requirements.
Rodrigues had no prior grant application experience. He just kept on it.
Jorge Rodrigues is the owner of TLC Limousines in Ossining, Joe Rod works for the New Castle Water Department, Alan Schapiro is head of software development for Odyssey Reinsurance, and Hala Makowska works in consumer research for Neilsen.
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