Department of Homeland Security Announces Assistance to Fire Departments

Posted Monday, September 19, 2005

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced this month 328 grants to fire departments throughout the United States in the fourth round of the Fiscal Year 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP). The AFG program will issue approximately 5,500 awards worth $600 million in direct assistance to firefighters and first responders throughout the country, demonstrating Homeland Security's commitment to ensuring that America's firefighters have the resources they need to protect their communities.

"We recognize the importance of the Fire Act Grants to our Nation's fire departments and we will continue to work closely with the fire service community to meet their needs," said Matt Mayer, Acting Executive Director of the Office for State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness (SLGCP).

This fourth round of grants provides $27,851,222 to help local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations purchase or receive training, first responder health and safety programs, equipment and response vehicles.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program includes grants to the fire departments and emergency medical services organization in Georgia for:

• Cotton Volunteer Fire Department, Meigs - $62,154.00, Operations and Safety

• City of Parrott Volunteer Fire Department, Parrott - $17,623.00, Operations and Safety

• Cedar Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Abbeville, GA - $18,809.00, Operations and Safety

• Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department, Eastman - $16,530.00, Operations and Safety

• Columbus Fire and EMS, Columbus - $110,400.00, Operations and Safety

• Elbert County Fire Service, Elberton - $163,495.00, Operations and Safety

• Grovetown Dept. of Public Safety, GROVETOWN - $36,917.00, Operations and Safety

• Riverdale Fire Services, Riverdale - $74,437.00, Operations and Safety

The Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the Department's Office for State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness (SLGCP) in cooperation with the Department's United States Fire Administration.

"The Assistance to Firefighters grants represent a major effort by the Federal government to ensure that the Nation's firefighters continue to have the basic capability they require to do their jobs, improve safety and save lives," said David Paulison, Administrator of the Department of Homeland Security's United States Fire Administration.

SLGCP is the principal Federal agency responsible for the preparedness of the United States for acts of terrorism, including coordinating preparedness efforts at the Federal level, and working with all State, local, tribal, parish, and private sector emergency response providers on all matters pertaining to combating terrorism, including training, exercises and equipment support. To support this mission, SLGCP administers a number of programs that provide a wide array of support to our nation’s emergency preparedness and response community.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security. The mission of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies, through leadership, advocacy, coordination, and support.

For more information on USFA, please contact the website at www.usfa.fema.gov .

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