Cartwright Announces over $83,000 to First Responders in Northeastern Pennsylvania
Scranton, PA – U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) today announced that the Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Company in Pocono Pines received a $30,000 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant and the William Walker Hose Company Inc. in Jermyn received a $53,333.33 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Fiscal Year 2019.
The Tobyhanna Township Volunteer Fire Company will fund stipends for the recruitment and retention of firefighters, while the William Walker Hose Company will purchase 8 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units, which include harnesses, backpacks, face pieces, and two cylinders.
“In an emergency, you want a well-trained, well-equipped team of first responders on the scene. Funding like AFG and SAFER Grants help put necessary resources in the hands of our fire companies, so they can do their jobs safely and effectively,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “These brave people risk their lives for their neighbors and to keep our communities safe, and they deserve the best equipment and training available. That’s why I continue to advocate for robust AFG funding.”
As part of his work on the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Cartwright helped craft legislation to provide $355 million to both the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the SAFER Grant for a total of $710 million for fiscal year 2020.
Since 2001, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) has helped first responders access the necessary resources to protect the people as well as emergency personnel from fire and other hazards. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant provides fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations with funds to maintain a force of well-trained front-line firefighters to meet their communities’ needs and comply with staffing, response, and operational standards.