CONTACT: Paul Mounds/ 860-278-8888

HOUSE APPROVES LARSON'S FUNDING FOR HARTFORD PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX

Washington, DC - The House of Representatives approved $800,000 in funding for Hartford's new public safety complex.  The complex will support the efforts of our police and fire departments to reduce crime and coordinate the work of our area's first responders, keeping local residents safe during an emergency.  The funding was proposed by Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) as part of a broader homeland security package that will invest in our priorities to protect Americans at home and keep our borders secure.

"The public safety complex will keep our friends and neighbors safe during a crisis by making sure our first responders can communicate and coordinate their efforts," said Congressman Larson.  "We saw too clearly on September 11^th the importance of communication during an emergency.  Since then, improving communication during a crisis has been a top priority.  By building a central operation center we are bringing the best in technology and strategy to Hartford to secure our community."

Hartford's new public safety complex will house the offices of police, fire and emergency response under one roof, making it easier to coordinate efforts.  The emergency operation center, that this funding helps to develop, will also allow the complex to serve as a command post for regional emergencies.

The broader Homeland Security legislation invests in key priorities to secure our borders and keep Americans safe. 

"We are making the right investments now to protect Americans and plan for the future in a fiscally sound and responsible way," said Congressman Larson. "We boost funding to fight violent crime and drug smuggling along the southwest border.  We support our first responders with the training, equipment and personnel they need to keep our communities safe.  We protect against growing threats to our cyber assets and we protect our ports, airports, rail and waterways.  We do all of this while maintaining fiscal responsibility by eliminating 17 programs that weren't working and cutting funding for another 40 non essential programs."

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