Assistance To Firefighters Grant Awards Announced To Aid America's Firefighters
Valdez Receives $182,697 To Assist Local Fire Departments In Latest Round Of Grants
Release Date: September 25, 2003
Release Number: R10-03-116
Anchorage, AK -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced 166 grants to fire departments throughout the U.S. in the sixteenth round of the 2003 Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The grants will ultimately total approximately 7,000 awards worth $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters. Included in the announcement of this latest round was a grant of $182,697 to the Valdez Fire Department to enhance fire operations and firefighter safety.
"I'd like to thank the firefighters for responding to numerous emergency calls during Hurricane Isabel and for joining the recovery efforts of state and local emergency managers, public works, law enforcement, and the Red Cross," said Under Secretary Brown. "To support our first responders who answer the call in natural disasters and man-made hazards, President Bush, Secretary Ridge and I remain committed to directly funding their efforts to save lives and property through this grant program administered by Homeland Security and FEMA."
This sixteenth round of grants provides $11.7 million to help local fire departments fund the purchase of firefighting equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire prevention and safety programs.
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), administers the Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program. The program assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. A list of all current award recipients announced to date is posted on the USFA web site at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/grants. Future grant recipients will be listed as awards are made.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Friday, 26-Sep-2003 08:15:42