FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact: Gretchen M. Wintermantel February 25, 2005                                                                            202.225.6511

Kanjorski Announces $61,110 for Throop Volunteer Hose Company #3

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) today announced that Throop Volunteer Hose Company # 3 received a grant for $61,110 for an emergency electrical generator for its building and the replacement of old turnout gear for its volunteers. The hose company will also purchase a fire suppression and detection system for the building and a laptop computer for the fire truck.

The money is part of the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) grant program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"Volunteer fire departments find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, and so these federal grants play a vital role in helping our fire departments purchase the most current equipment. Our firefighters face dangers each day that we cannot even imagine, and we owe it to them to make sure they have the most up-to-date equipment," Congressman Kanjorski said.

Fire Chief Rich Barbolish thanked Congressman Kanjorski and said the hose company was only able to purchase these items because of the FIRE grant program. "We'd be thinking about it, but that's about it. It's just a dream without a grant like this," Chief Barbolish said. "Now this all can all come to fruition."

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.