$216,639 in new federal dollars awarded today by FEMA
Paterson FD has received a funding total of $715,654

V U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ, 8th) announced that the Department of Homeland Security has awarded the City of Paterson Fire Department a new federal FIRE grant in the amount of $216,639 for fire prevention.  The funding can be used towards public education and awareness activities, fire code enforcement; the purchase and installation of smoke alarms and fire suppression systems and arson prevention. The grant award includes $216,639 in new federal funding and a 30 percent match from Paterson in the amount of $92,845

This is the fourth year of existence for the FIRE grant program (aka the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program) and Paterson has received four grants totaling $715,654.

Fire departments across America have received grants under the program, which was directly created by Pascrells Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, signed into law by President Clinton in 2000.   With broad bipartisan support, Pascrells program has grown from $100 million in fiscal year 2001 to $715 million this year.

The firefighters in Paterson 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 District, specifically to help communities such as Paterson 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, the Ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness.

Paterson Fire Chief Michael Posterino expressed his gratitude to Rep. Pascrell, stating, The Fire Grant Program has helped our department to a tremendous extent over the last few years.  This latest grant will help us to educate the public and will give us the tools to better enable us to do our jobs.

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).  Pascrells FIRE Act, introduced in March of 1999, is the first comprehensive national legislation dedicated to meet the special needs of Americas 32,000 volunteer, paid and part-paid fire departments.

This year FEMA received approximately 20,400 applications for the 2004 grant program.  The application period closed in early April 2004 and the total request of all departments, including the non-federal share, totaled approximately $2.6 billion.

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:
"X Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety Program.  Includes training, wellness and fitness, firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, and modifications to fire stations and facilities.

"X 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.

"X Emergency Medical Services Program.  Includes equipment, training, and wellness and fitness initiatives for fire-based EMS units.

"X 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 30 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.

Americas 32,000 paid, volunteer, and part-paid departments are all eligible for the grants under the program.

For more current information regarding the FIRE Grant (Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program), visit www.usfa.fema.gov.

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