WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) today announced a federal grant award of $489,060 for the Atlantic City Fire Department (ACFD) through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.

"The Atlantic City Fire Department needs this funding not only so it can recover from the damages Superstorm Sandy inflicted, but so it can invest in even more gear that will protect our brave firefighters,"said Sen. Menendez."I will keep fighting to make sure our communities and institutions fully recover from the storm, and to enable them to prepare themselves for future natural disasters."

"It is critical that our firefighters are outfitted with the necessary equipment to protect themselves and successfully keep New Jerseyans safe," said Sen. Booker. "I'm grateful that this funding will allow the Atlantic City Fire Department to replace protective gear that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy and I am committed to ensuring our brave firefighters receive the resources they need."

The AFG program provides funding to enhance response capabilities, as well as to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel. The grants will not only replace the equipment damaged by Sandy by salt water, oil, gasoline, and sewage, but will also replace more than 100 other protective suits that show significant wear and have lost their ability to protect first responders.

For more information about the AFG program, please visit:http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

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