DHS announces $10 million in firefighter grants
Assistance to Firefighters Grant program expected to disperse a total of $485 million; awards go to small towns such as Walls, Mississippi and Church Hill, Tennessee; equipment and vehicles top departments’ wish lists
As part of DHS’s ongoing efforts to devolve dollars and responsibility for emergencies to the local level, the agency this week announced $10,320,874 in direct assistance grants to 112 fire departments and first responder organizations through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. Additional phases will soon be announced that will total $485 million in AFG grant awards to approximately 5,000 fire-related organizations nationwide. “Emergency response is inherently local, and these resources support those who serve us all, our nation’s firefighters,” said Under Secretary for Preparedness George Foresman.
Since 2001, the AFG has provided $2.4 billion in grants to fire departments and first responder organizations for response equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles, and fire prevention activities. DHS received more than 18,000 applications for nearly $2.5 billion in requests this year. Additional grant phases to be announced shortly will bring the total AFG grant awards this year to $485 million distribibuted to 5,000 fire departments worldwide.
Winning fire departments in this round include those in: Walls, Mississippi ($142,690, operations and safety); Lucedal, Mississippi ($201,400, vehicle acquisition); Church Hill, Tennessee ($33,777, operations and safety); Pulaski, Tennessee ($145,350, operations and safety); Rockwood, Tennessee ($52,686, operations and safety); Whitwell, Tennessee ($26,594, operations and safety); Magnolia Springs, Alabama ($34,200, operations and safety); Forest Home, Alabama ($62,920, operations and safety); Alexander City, Alabama ($24,045, operations and safety); Athens, Alabama ($34,466, operations and safety); and many others.
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