PATERSON-- U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08), the author of the FIRE grant program today announced that the Clifton Fire Department has been awarded a $90,500 FIRE grant from the Department of Homeland Security to invest in new bailout kits and training for each of its firefighter.
“The firefighters in Clifton are well deserving of these federal dollars. The Department continues to put together outstanding applications and the results speak for themselves. The FIRE Act was written right here in the Eighth Congressional District, specifically to help communities like Clifton support its first responders. I am pleased that Clifton FD has remained active in pursuing these grants and has demonstrated such great success in securing them,” stated Pascrell, the author of the Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement (FIRE) grant program.
Specifically, the grant will allow Clifton FD to invest in new a bailout kit for each firefighter. The equipment will provide each firefighter with a harness and rope set to provide a virtual escape system to navigate limited visibility situations and to efficiently egress from multistory structures. The grant will also allow the Department to invest in the appropriate training materials to best utilize the equipment.
Fire departments across America have received grants under the FIRE grant program (aka the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program), which was directly created by Pascrell’s FIRE Act in 2000. The FIRE Act, first introduced in March of 1999, is the first comprehensive national legislation dedicated to meet the special needs of America’s 32,000 volunteer, paid and part-paid fire departments. With broad bipartisan support, Pascrell’s program has grown from $100 million in fiscal year 2001 to $490 million this year. Clifton has received for a total of over $507,940 in FIRE grant funding to invest in equipment, training and even a new vehicle as recently as 2005.
“We’re very excited to receive this new equipment and appreciate the hard work Congressman Pascrell does on behalf of firefighters,” stated Deputy Chief Jeffrey Adams. “This grant funding helps us to make purchases that are difficult for the municipality to invest in during tough economic times.”
Pascrell added, “As a former mayor, I know that every dime of grant funding from the federal government provides important relief to the local taxpayers who sustain essential public safety operations like fire departments.”
The FIRE grant program is administered by the Office of Domestic Preparedness which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
As part of the FIRE grant application, applicants had to demonstrate financial need and articulate the benefits to be derived from the grant funds.
Funding priorities for the grant program were established utilizing recommendations from each of the nine major national fire service organizations.
For more current information regarding the FIRE Grant (Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program), visit www.usfa.fema.gov.
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