Washington - Today, U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced a federal investment of $1.3 million for New Jersey fire departments and emergency medical services via FY2009 Department of Homeland Security competitive grants. Awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program (AFG) will be used to strengthen fire departments and emergency medical services organizations' capacity to respond to and protect the public from fire related emergencies and hazards.

"There is nothing more important than the safety of our neighborhoods and our families," said Senator Menendez. "It is vital that our firefighters and emergency medical services providers have the necessary resources to do their job as effectively as possible in the event of a an emergency. It is our responsibility to ensure these brave men and women have the resources they need to best protect our families."

"This federal investment in New Jersey's first responders will help protect the safety and security of communities across the state," Senator Lautenberg said. "To ensure our firefighters are ready to roll at the sound of the alarm, they need to be properly trained and equipped. This latest round of federal firefighter grant funding will continue to help New Jersey's firefighters keep our families safe."

The $1,328,343 in funding will be distributed as follows:

Cherry Hill, NJ
• $85,080 awarded to Cherry Hill Fire Department

Kearny, NJ
• $2,606 awarded to the Kearny Fire Department

Toms River, NJ
• $125,000 awarded to the Toms River Board of Fire Commissioners District #2

Hopatcong, NJ
• $118,750 awarded to the Hopatcong Ambulance Squad Inc.

Asbury, NJ
• $16,150 awarded to the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Company

Moorestown, NJ
• $169,575 awarded to the Moorestown Fire District No.1

Wrightstown, NJ
• $60,051 awarded to the Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Company

Clayton, NJ
• $91,913 awarded to the Clayton Volunteer Fire Department #1

Weehawken, NJ
• $22,205 awarded to the Weehawken Volunteer First Aid Squad

Madison, NJ
• $38,000 awarded to the Madison Volunteer Ambulance Corps

North Plainfield, NJ
• $112,500 awarded to the North Plainfield Rescue Squad

Riverdale, NJ
• $55, 676 awarded to the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department

Hackettstown, NJ
• $261, 250 awarded to the Hackettstown Fire Department

Gibbsboro, NJ
• $44,065 awarded to the Gibbsboro Fire Company #1

Mt Ephraim, NJ
• $53,153 awarded to the Mt. Ephraim Fire Department

Princeton Junction, NJ
• $13,662 awarded to the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Company #1

West Paterson, NJ
• $58,707 awarded to the West Paterson Fire Department


About the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program (AFG):


The AFG grants awards to fire departments and EMS organizations unaffiliated with a hospital to improve their capacity to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel in fire related emergencies. During FY2009, AFG will award approximately a total of $565 million in competitive grants to fire departments and EMS organizations whose activities best match the priorities of the AFG program. The application period for FY2009 process was from April 15, 2009 to May 20, 2009.

For more information about the program, please visit: http://www.firegrantsupport.com/

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