Yesterday, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) announced
the Fairmount Fire Company in Lansdale has received a Fiscal Year (FY)
2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), which is a grant program that assists
in equipping and training emergency personnel to recognized standards,
enhancing operational efficiencies, fostering interoperability, and supporting
community resilience.
The Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company received a total
of $857,142.86 to be used towards vehicle acquisitions through the
AFG Program. The purpose of the AFG Program is to award grants directly to fire
departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical services (EMS) organizations, and
State Fire Training Academies to enhance their ability to protect the health
and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel. Using a
competitive process that is informed by fire service subject matter experts, grants
are awarded to eligible applicants whose applications best address the
priorities of the AFG Program.
Since FY 2001, the AFG Program has awarded approximately
$7.7 billion in grants to provide critically needed resources. The total amount
appropriated for the FY 2020 AFG Program initiative is $355 million.
“As the number of volunteer firefighters continue to diminish after every
passing year, the cost of local fire protection service expenditures continues
to increase,” said Fitzpatrick. “For just over 130 years, the
Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company has honorably served our
community, and this grant will go a long way to ensuring the department
continues to serve the people of Lansdale and Montgomery County. The AFG
program is not only vital to our volunteer fire departments financially, but
also vital to our residents, who rely on these services to keep them
safe.”
“I am deeply appreciative of the investment this grant represents in our
community;” said Lansdale Mayor Garry Herbert. “It is critical that we continue
to update, enhance, and grow our emergency services as the community continues
to grow and change over time. This investment will allow us to better manage
emergency events in our community and help keep our fire company the well
respected and well-established organization that it already is.”
Currently, FEMA is on round four of the competitive FY 2020 AFG
announcements and will continue to announce AFG grants on a weekly basis. This
program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal
Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
See also:
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Congressman Fitzpatrick May Call For Censure Of President Trump, Report Says
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