Slaughter Announces $47,500 Federal Grant to Tonawanda's Ellwood Fire District No. 1

Funding Will Support Firefighting Operations and Health and Safety Programs

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-Fairport), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, is pleased to announce that the Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) have awarded $47,500 to the Ellwood Fire District Number 1 of Tonawanda. The funds will help Tonawanda's firefighters to improve the effectiveness of firefighting operations, as well as their public health and safety programs. The grant will also assist in the expansion of the town's existing fire prevention programs.

"I'm delighted to see the Ellwood Fire District No. 1 recognized for its excellence," Rep. Slaughter said. "Its work is critical to the health and well-being of our community," she added. "We can't overestimate the need to continue to support firefighting programs and to supply our firefighters with the best equipment and training."

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP) supports the nation's firefighters and the services they deliver by awarding one-year grants directly to fire departments around the country. For the 2005 program, Congress appropriated, and President Bush signed into law, $650 million in direct assistance to firefighters throughout the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) administers the program, in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. To learn more about the AFGP, or to find a list of awardees, click here.