Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that more than $200,000 in federal grants was awarded to Connecticut fire departments in the towns of Oakdale, Beacon Falls, and Sandy Hook. The grants were made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program’s Fire Prevention & Safety Grant initiative, administered by the U.S. Fire Administration.

“Each and every day, our communities depend on firefighters to protect them from danger and educate them on matters of public safety,” said Dodd.  “These brave men and women work hard to keep their fellow citizens safe, and we should fully support their efforts by providing the necessary funding, equipment, and training so that they may continue to serve their communities.”

“Firefighters all across Connecticut devote their time and energy to courageously serving their communities, and we must do everything we can to ensure that they have the tools they need to perform their essential work,” Lieberman said. “These grants will help train and equip firefighters in Oakdale, Beacon Falls and Sandy Hook so that they can continue to save lives and operate as our first line of defense against disasters of all sorts.”

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 420 grants for a total of more than $35 million in Connecticut to help fire departments strengthen their response capabilities.

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