Round Thirty-Three Of The Assistance To Firefighters Grants To Aid America’s Fire Departments Announced By FEMA 

Mississippi Receives $154,356 to Assist Local Fire Departments in Latest Round of Grants

Release Date: February 13, 2004
Release Number: R4-04-047

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced 114 grants to fire departments throughout the U.S. in the thirty-third round of the fiscal year 2003 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.

Included in the announcement of this latest round were awards for two communities in Mississippi.

“President Bush, Secretary Ridge and I maintain our commitment to support America’s firefighters with the distribution of these critical funds to our nation’s fire departments,” said Brown. “It’s crucial that these brave men and women have the equipment and training necessary to answer the call and respond to all hazards, man-made or natural.”

This thirty-third round of grants provides over $9 million to help local fire departments fund the purchase of firefighting equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire prevention and safety programs. Since June, nearly 8400 fire departments have received over $673 million to support their role as first responders in the neighborhoods and communities they serve as firefighters.

Grants have been made available to the following fire departments in Mississippi:

Snow Lake Volunteer Fire Dept Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety 45411 Ashland
Wiggins Fire Department Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety 108945 Wiggins

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), administers the Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program. The program assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. A list of all current award recipients announced to date is posted on the USFA web site at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/grants. Future grant recipients will be listed as awards are made.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 17-Feb-2004 13:11:56