Press Releases
Pascrell FIRE Grant Provides for Montclair FD
Washington, DC,
March 8, 2007
Montclair FD has received a funding total of $183,662 U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ, 8th) and Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ-10) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded the Montclair Fire Department with federal FIRE grant in the amount of $46,125. The funding came from the Operations and Firefighter Safety Program, which includes funds for training, equipment, personnel, protective equipment, wellness and fitness, or modifications to fire stations and facilities. Specifically, this grant will help Montclair FD fund equipment for a confined space rescue operations training program in conjunction with Montclair State University. Fire departments across America have received grants under the FIRE grant program (aka the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program), which was directly created by Pascrell’s Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act in 2000. With broad bipartisan support, Pascrell’s program has grown from $100 million in fiscal year 2001 to $545 million this year. Montclair has received three FIRE grants worth a total of $183, 662 since the program began. “The firefighters in Montclair are well deserving of these federal dollars. The department continues to put together outstanding applications and results speak for themselves. The FIRE Act was written right here in the Eighth Congressional District, specifically to help communities such as Montclair support their first responders. For too long, the federal government turned a deaf ear to the pressing needs of fire departments. This grant demonstrates that through the FIRE Act, we have changed that shortsighted policy,” said Pascrell. "This funding will provide greater protection for the residents of Montclair by giving firefighters additional resources to carry out their important mission. We will continue working in Congress to ensure that the needs of first responders in our New Jersey communities are met." “The Montclair Fire Department is very happy to have received this FIRE grant,” stated Montclair Fire Chief Kevin Allen. “We are grateful to Congressman Pascrell for his continued efforts in funding fire departments all over the country. This particular grant will fund equipment to establish a confined space rescue training program in conjunction with Montclair State University that will benefit Montclair and municipalities all over Essex County.” “This money will enable the department to purchase equipment and training to rescue residents and workers in Montclair and surrounding communities from trench collapses,” said Montclair Fire Chief Kevin Allen. “I once again thank Congressman Pascrell and Congressman Payne for their proven commitment to enhancing public safety in Montclair.” The FIRE grant program is administered by the Office of Domestic Preparedness which is now under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Pascrell’s “FIRE Act,” introduced in March of 1999, is the first comprehensive national legislation dedicated to meet the special needs of America’s 32,000 volunteer, paid and part-paid fire departments. Working with the major fire service organizations, FEMA crafted a program implementation framework that placed eligible grant activities into four program areas. Fire departments could apply for eligible activities in one of four different programs: • Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety Program. Includes training, wellness and fitness, firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, and modifications to fire stations and facilities. • Fire Prevention Program. Includes public education and awareness activities, fire codes enforcement activities, fire inspector certifications, purchase and installation of smoke alarms and fire suppression systems, wildland fire mitigation, and arson prevention and detection activities. • Emergency Medical Services Program. Includes equipment, training, and wellness and fitness initiatives for fire-based EMS units. • Firefighting Vehicles Acquisition Program. Includes pumpers, brush trucks, tankers, rescue, ambulances, quints, aerials, foam units, and fireboats. Grantees share in the cost of the funded project at a percentage based on the population of their respective jurisdiction. Grantees that serve jurisdictions of 50,000 or fewer residents are required to provide a non-Federal cost-share of 10 percent, while grantees that serve jurisdictions of more than 50,000 provide a 20 percent cost-share. The maximum amount an applicant can be awarded is $750,000 during any fiscal year. As part of the application, applicants had to demonstrate financial need and articulate the benefits to be derived from the grant funds. Funding priorities for each of the activities were established utilizing recommendations from each of the nine major national fire service organizations. For more current information regarding the FIRE Grant (Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program), visit www.usfa.fema.gov. ### |