Department of Homeland Security Announces $210 Million in Funding for Fire Station Construction
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today encouraged Connecticut fire departments to apply for new Fire Fighter Assistance Grants made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The $210 million in grant funding, which was announced today by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will provide fire departments across the country with an opportunity to secure up to $15 million to repair existing fire stations and construct new stations. DHS also announced new funding for two of FEMA’s other preparedness grant programs: $150 million for the Port Security Grant Program and $150 million for the Transit Security Grant Program.
“A fire station in disrepair can delay the department’s response to an emergency call, putting both the fire fighters and the public in danger,” said Dodd. “These new grants will help ensure we do not allow the safety of our communities to fall by the wayside as we work to get our economy back on track. I encourage fire departments across Connecticut to take advantage of this opportunity and apply for funding to improve their stations or build new ones.”
Senator Dodd has a long history of advocating for fire fighters. In 2000, Dodd authored the FIRE Act, which gives local fire departments the ability to purchase new equipment and initiate education and training programs. In 2003, Dodd authored the SAFER Act, a law that gives local fire departments the ability to alleviate critical shortfalls in professional and volunteer personnel. Since the SAFER and FIRE Acts were enacted, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, has distributed over 480 grants for a total of more than $51 million in Connecticut to help fire departments strengthen their response capabilities. Dodd was also a strong supporter of additional funding for fire departments in the Recovery Act, including the grants announced today.
The Fiscal Year 2009 Recovery Guidance and Application Kits can be accessed online at http://www.fema.gov/grants
