Washington - U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today announced three New Jersey fire departments received more than $578,000 in federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. These grants can be invested in training, equipment, personal protective equipment, health programs, and other support for stations and facilities.

"Emergencies don't wait for flush budget years, and neither will we. Our firefighters need to have the resources they need to protect themselves and our families in case of a fire emergency,"said Menendez. "These funds will allow local fire departments to purchase the most modern safety equipment available and boost their capacity to respond in case of a fire. This is the very least we can do for the safety of our first responders, our families, and our communities."

"New Jersey's firefighters are ready to roll at the sound of the alarm and we must be certain they have the best equipment and training available to handle the job safely and effectively,"said Lautenberg, Vice Chairmanof the Senate Appropriations Subcommitteeon Homeland Security, whichfunds the AFGgrantprogram."As cities and towns across the state struggle with tight budgets, I am working in the Senate to ensure that federal funding for public safety in New Jersey communities remains a priority."

The $578,842 in AFG grants will be distributed as follows:

  • Deptford - $402,975 to the Deptford Fire Department for thermal-imaging devices, self-contained breathing apparatuses and other safety equipment.
  • Hamilton - $114,402 to the Hamilton Township Fire District 3 for a thermal-imaging device and safety gear.
  • North Wildwood - $61,465 to the City of North Wildwood Fire Department for safety gear.

The AFG grants are awarded to fire departments and EMS organizations 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.

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

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