Our firefighters, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responders and State Fire Academies work hard every day to keep our communities safe. They rely on equipment, training and resources to make sure that when there is an emergency, such as a building fire or medical emergency, they can respond quickly and efficiently. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes the inestimable value of these first responders and has awarded fire companies and the Delaware State Fire School across the State of Delaware $799,402.01 to help them in their service to our communities.
Through the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program (AFG), FEMA has provided this funding for operational support and training opportunities. The AFG grants purchase life-saving equipment, such as turnout gear, hoses, self-contained breathing apparatus and more that are critical to successfully responding to an emergency. “All disasters start at the local level, and it’s the local firefighters and EMS personnel that are always first on the scene taking action to prevent loss of life and property.” stated MaryAnn Tierney, FEMA Region III Regional Administrator. “These awards are an annual opportunity for FEMA to fund the critical equipment and needs of firefighters and EMS organizations so they can continue doing what they do best: save lives and helping their communities be more prepared.”
The AFG, in addition to the Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) grant and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, are annual competitive grants which eligible fire companies, unaffiliated EMS and state fire academies can apply for. The grants are subject to annual appropriations. Interested applicants can find tools and resources, including links to Program Webinars, at www.FEMA.gov/assistance-firefighters-grants-training-tools.
For more information on these grants and how to apply, please visit www.FEMA.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Learn more about FEMA Region III at www.FEMA.gov/region-iii. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.
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