Central Valley Fire House comes back to life

State Sen. James Skoufis (D-Orange County) joined Village of Woodbury Mayor Andrew Giacomazza (R-Woodbury) and Town of Woodbury Supervisor Thomas Burke (D-Woodbury) to celebrate the long-awaited rehabilitation of the Central Valley Fire House.

The transformation of this iconic 65-year-old building, situated along the Smith Clove Road corridor, has been completed through the collaborative efforts of bipartisan leadership to enhance instructional facilities for first responders.

The Central Valley Fire House had begun falling into disrepair over the years, and had remained out of use for some time due to safety hazards.

However, in September 2022, the department was awarded a $250,000 grant secured by Skoufis with the purpose of revitalizing its infrastructure. The funding has helped transform the building into a once-again functioning training facility for volunteer first responders.

The improvements included fortifying the upper brick facade that had been pulling away from the building structure.

“Our first responders deserve nothing less than a modern operational facility that reflects their unwavering dedication to the safety of our residents,” said Skoufis. “ It brings great satisfaction to bring home these tax dollars and see them reinvested into our community and supporting our local firefighters.”

Giacomazza added: ”The safety of our communities hinges on providing EMS and fire departments with the essential training and resources they need. These enhancements to the Central Valley Fire House were long-due and will immediately create an impact for Woodbury residents.”

And Burke added:

“Senator Skoufis has repeatedly proven to be a great asset to Woodbury. Over the course of the last couple years, Woodbury has received over half a million dollars in grants spearheaded by Senator Skoufis. First, the Woodbury Courthouse and now the Central Valley Fire House. He understands the importance of ensuring our hard-earned tax dollars come back home from Albany and it is always a pleasure partnering with him to deliver for our mutual constituents. I especially want to thank the men and women who volunteer as firefighters. On a daily basis, they show commitment, loyalty and provide safety to this community unconditionally.”

The grant was among more than $1.3 million in funding that Skoufis had secured last year as part of his commitment to bolstering public safety for Orange County communities.