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| Wilson Says Estancia Valley Fire Department Gets Fire Fighting Funding Help |
October 01, 2003 |
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| Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson announced today that Estancia’s volunteer fire department will soon get a healthy boost from the federal government. The Estancia Fire/Rescue Department will receive $70,560 from the Department of Homeland Security for fire operations and firefighter safety. The Department relies on 21 volunteers who provide fire protection to the town of Estancia. The unpaid firefighters also provide back-up assistance to other area departments.
The funding will be used for
· New 5” fire hose, which connects the department’s pumper to a water hydrant;
· small diameter hose for a fire truck lacking sufficient hose;
· a deluge set, or large capacity water cannon which is used for wild land and structure firefighting;
· a cascade system, used to refill air bottles while firefighters are battling a blaze. The system will be mounted on the back of a truck; and
· additional air packs, including face masks, air regulators, and back up air bottles
“This is really a blessing for our department,” says Chief Wayne Granger. “We’re on a limited budget, and this is equipment we really need to protect the citizens we’re responsible for. We respond to calls all over the Estancia Valley and in the East Mountain area. When they need us, we go. This is equipment we’ve needed for a long time, but couldn’t afford until now. We appreciate Congresswoman Wilson’s support of those of us in the fire service.”
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program awards one-year grants directly to local fire departments, enhancing their abilities to respond to fire and fire-related hazards in their communities. For FY 2003, the $750 million in the firefighters grants program distributed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) marks a significant increase from the $360 million in grants announced last year.
Last month, Wilson announced that the Torrance County Fire Department (TCFD) will receive $144,000 from the grant program to help buy a new fire truck.
The program supports rural departments like those in Torrance County and the town of Estancia by providing them the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and their firefighting personnel.
For the 2003 program, Congress appropriated $750 million in direct assistance in support of the nation`s firefighters and the services they deliver. This year FEMA received approximately 19,950 applications for the 2003 grant program. The application period closed in early April 2003 and the total request of all departments, including the non-federal share, totaled approximately $2.5 billion.
Grantees share in the cost of the funded project at a percentage based on the population of their respective jurisdiction. Grantees that serve jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents—like the Estancia department—are required to provide a non-Federal cost-share of 10%, while grantees that serve jurisdictions of over 50,000 provide a 30% cost-share.
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