FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, September 4, 1998
Contact: William Vincent or Patricia Klinger
Tel: (202) 366-4831
RSPA 19-98
DOWNEY ANNOUNCES $250,000
TO THE INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Mortimer L. Downey announced a $250,000 federal grant to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). The grant, issued as part of the Research and Special Programs Administration’s (RSPA) Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) planning and training program, will be used to continue to provide training resources for instructors who conduct hazardous materials response training programs.
"Safety is President Clinton’s highest transportation priority," Downey said. "These funds will help provide the nation’s emergency response personnel with the training and equipment they need to respond quickly and appropriately to transportation-related hazardous materials incidents."
The HMEP Program, through which this grant was provided, is funded by user fees paid by shippers and carriers who transport certain hazardous materials.
In 1995, the IAFF received its first federal grant of $250,000 which, beginning in 1996, was used to train over 100 fire service instructors.
The HMEP program provides states with funding annually to assist with emergency planning and training for public sector emergency response technicians. In 1996, more than 120,000 emergency responders were trained nationwide with HMEP grant funds and over 4,000 local emergency planning committees received planning and training assistance.
The HMEP Program is authorized by federal law concerning hazardous materials.
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