Lemont, IL – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert joined Lemont Fire Chief Carl Churulo and representatives of the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company to present the Illinois findings of a new national survey on the needs and issues facing our local fire departments.  
 
            As the current economic recession continues to affect local tax revenues and the availability of other funds, fire fighters everywhere are facing increasingly difficult challenges as they try to maintain the safety of their communities.  Recently, the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company sponsored a national survey of fire stations to find out their most urgent needs and other pressing issues.  Conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, the study found that common trends included insufficient funding, inadequate training for hazardous material emergencies, or outdated auto-extrication equipment that cannot quickly remove injured passengers from many new car models.  Full results can be found at www.firemansfund.com/firesurvey.
 
            “Whether it’s a fire, a vehicle crash, a dangerous spill, or even a terrorist attack – our fire men and women put their lives on the line in almost every emergency situation they come across”, said Biggert, Member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “But our front-line responders need to have the resources to keep our communities safe.  And we owe it to them to provide the equipment needed to do their jobs without exposure to unnecessary risk.”
 
            The struggling economy has forced fire departments to depend more heavily on federal fire grant programs, specifically the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) Program.

            “We have to adequately fund these grant programs to meet increased demand”, said Biggert. “Unfortunately, while the Administration proposed to double the SAFER program – which will help fire departments hire new firefighters – it chose to cut the Assistance to Firefighter Grant program by 70 percent, limiting their access to proper training and equipment.”
 
            The House Appropriations Committee is currently deliberating funding levels for all federal grant programs.  As such, Congresswoman Biggert sent a letter to Chairman David Obey (D-WI) and Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R-CA) asking them to consider the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company Survey when determining funding levels for fiscal year 2010.

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