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Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved $219,330 for the Old Bridge Volunteer Fire Company for operations and safety purposes and $18,723 for Old Bridge Fire District #2 for recruitment purposes. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.
"This funding will ensure Old Bridge Township fire departments are equipped with the necessary resources and firefighters to better protect the residents of Old Bridge," Pallone said. "Fire departments are too important to our communities to be left under-equipped and under-staffed. We must also ensure that the brave men and women who risk their lives for others are protected as well."
The AFG program helps strengthen the nation's overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards. The purpose of the program is to award grants to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations to enhance first responders' ability to protect the health and safety of the public.
In FY 2008, the AFG program will award approximately $500 million directly to fire departments and EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the public and emergency personnel. Since 2004, AFG has provided a total of approximately $2.75 billion to first-responder organizations to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment and vehicles.
The goal of SAFER grants is to enhance the ability of grantees to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and to ensure that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. In FY 2008, the Department of Homeland Security will award approximately $190 million directly to fire departments and volunteer interest groups to expand the number of firefighters available.
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