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Newsroom: Press Releases

Lautenberg, Menendez Announce More Than $500,000 for Washington Township, Township of Ocean Fire Departments

Lautenberg Press Office, 202-224-3224
Thursday, February 07, 2013

 

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced that fire departments in Washington Township in Gloucester County and the Township of Ocean will receive federal grants totaling $502,424. The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) programs, allows departments to avoid layoffs, hire new firefighters and effectively protect the health and safety of first responders.

“This federal funding will help provide staffing and resources that firefighters need to keep our families safe,” said Senator Lautenberg, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which funds the AFG and SAFER programs. “First responders risk their lives to protect our communities, and we will continue working to provide local fire departments with the federal resources they need.”

“Thanks to these federal programs, two New Jersey towns will have the resources needed to keep dedicated firefighters on the job responding to emergencies,” said Senator Menendez. “Our firefighters, who risk their lives every time they answer a call, must have the tools needed to carry out their job safely and effectively and that includes having adequate staffing. That is why I will continue fighting to protect these critical sources of funding that help keep our communities and our first responders safe.”

Senators Lautenberg and Menendez have long been fighting to secure increased federal funding for FEMA firefighter programs for first responders. 

Washington Township Mayor Barbara Wallace said: “This investment in Washington Township, allowing our fire department to hire two additional firefighters, will help ensure that our children and families are kept safe. I thank Senator Menendez and Senator Lautenberg for their unwavering support for this vital program.”

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• Washington Township Fire Department will receive a $363,952 SAFER grant and will use the funding to hire two firefighters;
• The Township of Ocean Fire Department will receive $138,472 in AFG funding and will purchase 27 to 30 self contained breathing apparatuses to replace current ones which are outdated and not up to code.

The highly competitive SAFER grant program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations in order to help them increase the number of trained “front line” firefighters in their communities. The AFG program provides funding to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel.

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