Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that fire departments in several Connecticut towns have been awarded federal grants totaling more than $2 million.  The funds will go to improving operations and safety at their facilities, acquiring new vehicles, and hiring additional personnel. The grants were made possible by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, which provide aid to first-responder programs nationwide with the aim of improving the equipment and staffing levels in order to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of the first-responders themselves.

“Each and every day fire fighters stand ready to put their lives in danger in order to protect their fellow citizens,” said Dodd. “This grant will help the brave men and women of fire departments across our state continue their honorable work.”

“I am extremely pleased that so many Connecticut fire departments will get these much needed federal grants,” said Lieberman. “We should ensure our first responders have everything they need to perform their life-saving work.” 

The fire departments to receive funding are:

Brookfield Volunteer Fire Department – $42,256

Colchester Hayward Fire Department – $102,600

Enfield Fire District No.1 – $375,014

Groton Fire Department – $712,500

Hartford Fire Department – $240,800

Middletown Fire Department – $433,009

Mohegan Fire Company – $118,750

Monroe Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 – $38,285

New Britain Fire Department – $72,001

North Thompsonville Fire Department – $40,375

Scotland Volunteer Fire Department – $94,763

Willington Hill Fire Department – $14,630

Senators Dodd and Lieberman have a long history of advocating for fire safety. In 2000, Dodd authored and Lieberman cosponsored the FIRE Act, which gives local fire departments the ability to purchase new equipment and initiate education and training programs. In 2003, Dodd authored and Lieberman cosponsored the SAFER Act, a law that gives local fire departments the ability to alleviate critical shortfalls in professional and volunteer personnel. Since the SAFER and FIRE Acts were enacted, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has distributed over 470 grants for a total of more than $47 million in Connecticut to help fire departments strengthen their response capabilities.

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