Round Twenty-Four Of The Assistance To Firefighters Grants To Aid America's Fire Departments Announced By FEMA 

Kentucky Receives $2,535,606 To Assist Local Fire Departments In Latest Round Of Grants

Release Date: November 28, 2003
Release Number: R4-03-258

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced 635 grants to fire departments throughout the U.S. in the twenty-fourth round of the 2003 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. This is the largest number of grants announced at one time in the 2003 AFG program, and totals $71.6 million for this week alone. The grants will ultimately total approximately 7,000 awards worth $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters.

Included in the announcement of this latest round were awards for 22 communities in Kentucky.

"President Bush, Secretary Ridge and I recognize that the training and equipment provided to our first responders through the fire grants is critical in securing our homeland because these brave men and women are our first line of defense against all hazards," said Brown. "I would like to wish our firefighters and their families a happy and safe Thanksgiving. We're grateful to our first responder community for its service and sacrifice."

This twenty-fourth round of grants provides help to local fire departments to 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, over 6400 fire departments have received almost $478 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 Kentucky:

Beechmont Volunteer Fire Dept. Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety $26,867 Beechmont
Dunmor Volunteer Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $173,700 Dunmor
East Casey Co. Vol. Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $112,739 Middleburg
Morton's Gap Volunteer Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $164,700 Morton's Gap
Murray Fire Dept. Fire Prevention $23,533 Murray
Possumtrot/Sharpe Fire Protection District Firefighting Vehicle $99,000 Calvert City
Rural Volunteer Fire Dept. of Lewisburg, Inc. Firefighting Vehicle $158,400 Lewisburg
Hadley Volunteer Fire Dept. Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety $55,850 Bowling Green
Harned Area Fire & Rescue Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $177,975 Harned
Richardsville Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety $88,637 Bowling Green
Upton Firefighting Vehicle $144,000 Upton
Edgewood Fire/EMS Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety $65,633 Edgewood
Orangeburg Vol. Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $184,500 Maysville
Point Pleasant Fire Protection District Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety $49,997 Boone County
Community Volunteer Fire Dept. of Canoe Firefighting Vehicle $126,000 Booneville
McCreary County Fire Protection District Firefighting Vehicle $88,425 Whitley City
Shelby Valley Volunteer Fire Dept., Inc. Firefighting Vehicle $134,100 Pikeville
Troublesome Creek VFD Firefighting Vehicle $180,000 Hazard
West McCreary Fire Protection District Firefighting Vehicle $144,000 Stearns
Buckeye Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $135,000 Lancaster
Cartersville Fire Dept. Firefighting Vehicle $147,600 Paint Lick
LFUCG - Division of Fire Fire Prevention $54,950 Lexington

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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Monday, 01-Dec-2003 09:25:09