NEW YORK — New support for essential PPE builds on previous SNF grants to strengthen Fire Department’s ability to keep the public safe.

The FDNY Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) announced that SNF has made a grant to the FDNY's COVID-19 Emergency Fund to help acquire critical supplies, including additional personal protective equipment (PPE). This equipment will help keep EMTs and paramedics safe on duty as they continue to serve on the frontlines of the pandemic.

At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, the FDNY received an unrelenting stream of emergency calls representing an enormous increase over typical call volumes. As FDNY prepares for the weeks and months ahead, SNF's support will allow it to immediately acquire more than two million pieces of PPE.

"On behalf of the members of the FDNY, we are grateful to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for their generosity during these challenging times," said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. "Our members are prepared to keep New York safe. We are one department united against a common enemy."

“Every day, FDNY EMTs and paramedics are called—literally and figuratively—into extraordinary action, often at great personal risk and always requiring unwavering professional dedication,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos. “We at SNF are proud to do our part to help protect these brave public servants we rely on to protect us.”

This grant for protective equipment builds on previous support from SNF for the FDNY’s community outreach and engagement initiatives, including a new Fire Zone community education center set to open soon and ongoing training to ensure members are able to best serve the diverse communities they are sworn to protect. Enhanced training includes coursework in effective leadership, establishing trust, communication skills, and cultural awareness.

"Training ensures we can better serve all communities in our great city," added Chief of Department John Sudnik. "These initiatives strengthen our longstanding tradition of responding to everyone who needs our help."

SNF is a firm believer in collaboration with local government and has also provided significant longstanding support to the fire and emergency medical services in Greece. One major recent grant helped prepare the Hellenic Fire department for the start of fire season with tens of thousands of pieces of firefighting gear and will also provide a new educational center and new training programs. A 2017 SNF grant procured 143 state-of-the-art ambulances for Greece’s emergency medical services and is providing for their maintenance.

This latest grant to the FDNY Foundation is part of SNF’s effort to aid some of the populations hit hardest by the pandemic through a $100 million global relief initiative. Grantees from the first two rounds of the initiative are delivering much-needed relief around the world, including the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the San Antonio Food Bank, Bangor Region YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, The Rockefeller University, the Robin Hood Foundation, the French Red Cross, Boroume, Fondazione Progetto Arca, and many others.