Two South Suburban Fire Depts. Received Federal Grant Money to Purchase Firefighter Equipment
Congresswoman Robin Kelly (Dist.-2nd) announced Monday morning that the Richton Park and Riverdale fire departments were each awarded federal grants from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
“Providing our firefighters with the best equipment and protective gear helps keep them safe as they risk their lives to save others,” Congresswoman Kelly said in a press release statement. “I’m happy to have helped secure this critical funding because it is our firefighters who are on the front lines of protecting our communities.”
Richton Park will use its $135,620 grant to purchase emergency breathing equipment for firefighters.
“Proper equipment is critical for our firefighter's safety when responding to emergency situations within our community,” Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold said. “I am very appreciative of Congresswoman Kelly's support in the pursuit of this grant opportunity.”
The Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department will purchase firefighting helmets with the $4,286 grant it received.
“We try to maintain all of our personal protective equipment and firefighting gear to be in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards. But many of our current helmets were purchased in the late 1990s or early 2000s, exceeding the ten-year life cycle of the helmets,” said Robert Scharnhorst, chief of the Riverdale Fire-Rescue Department. “These new helmets will better protect the firefighters of Riverdale.”
Administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program is to enhance the ability of fire departments and other emergency management organizations to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responders.
On the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant-program-info, one can find information about fire departments and nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Service organizations and links to the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) and Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FP&S) programs. Links to other resources such as success stories, AFG E-mail and regional contacts are also available.
According to its website, the AFG Program has technical assistance staff in 10 federal regional centers who can respond to questions on the implementation of the AFG program.
The Regional Fire Program Specialists also carry out grant monitoring activities, and conduct grant writing workshops on the preparation of requests for Assistance to Firefighter Grants. Please feel free to contact the Regional Fire Program Specialist in your region for assistance.
Fire departments that have questions regarding the AFG program can reach the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Grant Programs Directorate AFG Program staff at:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA
800 K Street NW,
Washington, DC 20472-3620
Program representatives can also be reached by telephone at 1-866-274-0960.
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