Sixteen brave men from the Fourth District have lost their lives serving their country in Iraq and I think it is important that we remember them and their families on this Veterans Day.   I also want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the past and present soldiers from Arkansas and all across America and their families for their service to our country. These brave Americans have fought so hard, giving their time, their strength, and even their lives to protect our rights and our freedoms.

   As your United States Representative, I will continue to fight for our veterans to ensure that they receive the benefits they were promised when they signed up to serve this great nation. Each time I walk into a local VFW or have the opportunity to visit with a veteran while traveling the Fourth District, I am reminded of how blessed our nation is to have such courageous men and women willing to give everything for the safety of our country.

   Let’s join together and take a moment to remember our veterans and those who died for our freedom. Find out how your community is paying tribute to local veterans, and get involved.  I’m honored to have been invited to ride in a Veterans Day parade in El Dorado on Saturday morning at 9 am, and to speak at a Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 am at the Union County Courthouse.  I hope you’ll attend a Veterans Day Ceremony in your community, but at the very least, seek out that brother or sister, father, grandfather, or neighbor who served in our armed forces, and simply say, 'Thank you.'

   “We must ensure the safety and protection of our rural communities just as we do our big cities,” Ross said.  “I am proud to announce these funds to provide our rural firefighters with the necessary tools to prevent and fight fires so that they can keep the families and residents in their local communities safe.”

   "As first responders, local firefighters play an integral role in keeping our communities safe," Lincoln said. "With these federal dollars, our fire departments will be able to purchase safety equipment to protect those in the line of duty so they can provide the best possible service to the people of South Arkansas."

   "Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and it's important that we provide the equipment, training, and facilities they need to protect themselves and our communities," said Pryor. “These grants will go a long way to help ensure that Arkansans lives and property are out of harm’s way.”

   This program supports fire departments by providing the tools and resources necessary to ensure the safety of both department personnel and the general public.  
 
   The following departments have been awarded grants for Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety:

-         Golden City Volunteer Fire Department - $9,438.00

-         Spring Hill Volunteer Fire Department – $138,320.00

-         Johnsville Rural Fire Department - $55,794.00

-         Ione Community Fire Department - $95,000

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