Kanjorski Announces Application Period for FIRE grant program

WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) grant program application period will begin on Monday, March 7, and end on April 8. Information is available for fire departments at http://www.firegrants.com/.

The FIRE grants available this year are similar to those from last year. One difference is that a limited number of grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) organizations that are not affiliated with a fire department.

"The FIRE grant program is an important source of funding for fire departments as they face the increasing costs of operation and equipment. I urge all of the fire departments in my congressional district to apply and pledge that I will support these companies in the grant process. FIRE grants have helped departments in my district to get breathing equipment and firefighting gear and even new vehicles that they could not have afforded on their own," Congressman Kanjorski said.

More than $7.7 million in federal grants has been awarded to fire companies in the 11^th congressional district since the FIRE grant program began. To date, 75 fire companies in the 11^th congressional district have received FIRE grants.

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