Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Frank Kratovil, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, joined House colleagues in passing HR 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act. This bipartisan bill, sponsored by Rep. Kratovil, reauthorizes two popular, critically important firefighter assistance programs – the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program – for the next five years. It also makes various changes and improvements to these two programs. These programs are administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Rep. Kratovil encourages all local fire departments to contact his office for assistance applying for these funds.
“Keeping our communities and families safe means ensuring that the agencies we trust to protect us have the needed funding and resources to do their jobs safely and effectively,” said Rep. Frank Kratovil. “The reauthorization of both these programs will ensure that local fire departments will continue to be eligible to apply for the federal funding that when coupled with local resources can help prevent disasters. I urge local fire departments to contact any of my offices for assistance in receiving a federal grant in this or any other program they are eligible for.”
Click Here to View a Fire Fighter Assistance Fact Sheet
Please Contact Rep. Kratovil’s District Offices for More Information
Centreville – 443 262-9136 - Salisbury – 410 334-3072 - Bel Air – 410 420 8822
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
5 comments:
Kratovil said
"I urge local fire departments to contact any of my offices for assistance in receiving a federal grant in this or any other program they are eligible for"
of course we all want capable EMS, but holy smokes, how much more stuff that requires increased tax revenue/upkeep/maint. do we need?
All these guys want to do is create more infrastructure and manpower that is beholding to the government.
Allow me to rephrase what our good Congressman has said-
"I urge those of you whose votes can be bought with taxpayer dollars of others, please contact my office"
The Katrovil campaign was supported locally by the Tiger Mart stores. Remember?
Assistance to Firefighters Grants are a major help in purchasing equipment which has an ever increasing cost. Tons of local departments have benefited from this program. One local department was able to replace all of their old, bulky, and heavy breathing apparatus with modern composite tanks with "buddy breather" technology to assist downed firefighters. Multiple departments have been able to replace outdated apparatus that have high maintenance costs with modern, more efficient pieces that can do the job better.
Before you criticize something, know what you're criticizing. The AFG program provides better fire service to protect YOU and allows firefighters to do their job with modern equipment that won't fail as easily and makes the job easier as compared to what they would otherwise have.
Good lord you guys are unbelieveable. We certainly wouldn't want anyone to ever support their local Fire Dept. Remember there are firefighters there that need equipment to work with and Salisbury is not the only place in Maryland that has fire departments. Get off your a$$es and go look at some of the more rural places in Maryland and see if they are living it up with equipment. I know this may come as a shock to some of you people who don't support anything any fire department in the world does but some of these places work with equipment that is more then 30 years old. Any of you have vehicles that you drive everyday that you depend on to help save someones life that are 30 years old or more. Nope didn't think so.
Damn
943
READ the fine print MORON! The funds cannot be used for personnel.
Furthermore, call 911 for an emergency. The equipment that shows up may very well be paid for by federal dollars because in many areas of the First Congressional district are ONLY SERVED BY VOLUNTEERS who rely on community donations to buy their equipment as counties do not fund capital equipment purchases for thier volunteers. IF THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT PONY UP, (DUH!) somebody has to buy the equipment. Do you have any clue what a fire truck costs? How about an ambulance? Forget all that, do you even know what a stretcher costs? Why should our volunteers have to put thier lives on the line because of antiquated equipment- firetrucks with no seat belts because they are 20+ years old. One brave firefighter, God rest his soul, is dead in QAC because of this very reason. MAybe you should have donated to your volunteer station, rather than insulting a Congressman who clearly knows alot more than you!
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