WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg is urging fire departments throughout Montana to take advantage of the federal assistance available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Grants program. In a letter to fire departments, Rehberg urged them to apply for grants by the May 20 deadline, and offered to provide whatever assistance they need to facilitate the process.

“I’ve worked to leverage federal assistance for Montana’s first responders,” said Rehberg a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and the House Appropriations Committee which provides all funding for FEMA. “Right now, because of the unique challenges of size and rural composition, Montana gets a disproportionate amount of FEMA Fire Grants. With these grants, the federal government helps bridge the financial gap between what local communities can afford and what they need to ensure the safety of the families they serve.”

Fire Grants can be used to hire new staff and to acquire the modern equipment necessary to ensure the safety of the public and the first responders who risk their lives to protect their communities.

Letter:

As a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, one of my top priorities is to assist Montana’s firefighters and fire departments. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has the authority to provide assistance directly to local fire departments on a competitive basis by submitting grant applications.

Since Congress first made FEMA Fire Grants available in 2001, I have worked hard to increase the funding for this critical program from $100 million to $750 million in 2008. In fact, Montana gets a disproportionate amount of FEMA Fire Grants much to the chagrin of states like New York and California.

The window of opportunity to apply for these grants this year will be from April 15, 2009 to May 20, 2009.

Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) provide financial assistance directly to fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations to enhance their capabilities with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. This includes the purchase of equipment, non-structural upgrades to fire facilities, and the training of firefighters and first responders.

Ensuring that Montana’s fire departments have the equipment they need to perform their duties safely and effectively is one of my top priorities. My office would be pleased to provide any local entity applying for a FEMA fire grant with a letter expressing my support for the project.

Additional program guidance and application instructions are available on the web at: www.firegrantsupport.com. You can also visit http://portal.fema.govto directly access the application.

If you have questions about the fire grant program or you would like to receive a letter of support from my office, please contact Abra Belke at (202) 225-3211 or by e-mail at abra.belke@mail.house.gov

Sincerely,