Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing for a boost in federal funding for local fire departments. It’s a matter of safety, she said.

Many fire departments are using gear that is more than 20 years old, Gillibrand said.

This funding she’s asking for would provide new equipment, as well as fight staffing shortages.

This could be done with more funding for FEMA’s Assistance To Firefighters grant program, she said.

“These programs are saving lives. They help make sure firefighters have life-saving equipment like self-contained breathing apparatuses, when they run into burning buildings. And they help make sure under resourced departments have the staffing they need to respond to the growing call volume,” Gillibrand said.

Gillibrand helped deliver more than 200 grants totaling nearly $50 million to New York fire departments last year.