(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Concord) today announced that 16 fire departments in his congressional district are the recipients of more than $2 million in federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

 LaTourette said a total of six rounds of funding have been announced so far for the Fiscal Year 2005 program, and several more rounds of funding will be announced until $650 million has been distributed.   More than 900 Ohio fire departments applied for funding this year.

 “Just about every fire department in my district applies for the FIRE grant money and it’s wonderful when folks get federal assistance to buy equipment they need and could not otherwise afford,” LaTourette said.

 The following fire departments in the 14th Congressional District will receive grants with Fiscal Year 2005 funds.  All grants are for firefighter operations and safety unless otherwise noted.

 Chesterland Fire Rescue      $38,570
 Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department     $95,124
 Ashtabula Township Fire Department     $44,175
 Painesville Township Fire Department    $65,696
 Leroy Township Fire Department (new vehicle)   $237,500
 Kirtland Fire Department     $35,763
 Perry Joint Fire District     $103,919
 Mentor Fire Department      $60,492
 Solon Fire Department      $900,000
 Thompson Township Fire Department    $93,100
 Mentor on the Lake Fire Department    $95,950
 Harpersfield Township Volunteer Fire Department   $34,837
 Mesopotamia Fire Department     $63,124
 Aurora Fire Department       $96,039
 Willowick Fire Department     $83,605
 Community Ambulance, Inc.     $23,131

 The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the U.S. Fire Administration (UFA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Domestic Preparedness.  It assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments across the country, and funds are used to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, Emergency Medical Service programs, and Fire Prevention and Safety Programs. 

 More than 7,800 grants were awarded nationwide with Fiscal Year 2004 funds.  About 310 departments in Ohio received grants totaling more than $29 million last year.  The local share for the grants is 10 percent for jurisdictions that serve 50,000 or fewer residents, and 30 percent for departments that serve more than 50,000 residents.  Grants are awarded to paid, volunteer and combination departments.