U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $227,272.73 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps (TVAC). The funding will be used by TVAC to purchase a new emergency vehicle in its continued service to the greater Teaneck area.

“Our state’s response and recovery efforts would not be possible without the lifesaving work of our first responders in Teaneck and all throughout New Jersey,” said Rep. Pascrell, co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “This sizable grant today will add a brand-new ambulance to the renowned fleet in Teaneck. Most importantly, it will save lives. Now more than ever, every federal dollar available must be secured to support those who are keeping us safe. House Democrats passed the CARES Act in March to provide precisely this kind of support to our communities. And we have since passed the HEROES Act to expand upon that support for American families and our frontline heroes. While the Senate dithers over our HEROES Act, I will continue to work with federal agencies to deliver lifesaving awards like this for North Jersey. And I will continue to push the Senate to enact the HEROES Act with the urgency this moment demands. Our first responders shouldn’t have to wait one more day for the federal support they deserve.”

"North Jersey's firefighters and EMTs are absolutely critical to the safety of our communities, and that's never been more true than during these recent months of the COVID-19 crisis. We have to ensure that our frontline workers and first responders have all the equipment and tools to do their jobs safely and effectively,” said Rep. Gottheimer, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “I want to thank the Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps for their continued hard work and dedication in getting us through this ongoing pandemic. North Jersey has been in the eye of the COVID storm since the beginning, and we’ve made great progress in getting more resources back to help our towns through this, all while improving our return on investment. As we head into the fall, our first responders deserve to have all the federal support available to keep them and us safe — and help cut our local property taxes at the same time.”

“Our volunteer ambulance corps in Teaneck provides an invaluable service,” said Teaneck Mayor James Dunleavy. “This grant will help them to upgrade and enhance their already terrific service to Teaneck.”

Annual funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program is provided by Rep. Pascrell’s Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, which was signed into law in 2000 by President Bill Clinton. Administered by DHS’ Federal Emergency Management Agency, the AFG program provides direct support to eligible fire departments to help them meet the demanding and ever-evolving nature of their work.

Through his FIRE Act, Rep. Pascrell helps procure millions in federal support for New Jersey firefighters each year. The CARES Act provided $100 million in funding for the AFG program to help fire departments purchase personal protective equipment and supplies.

This past month, Rep. Pascrell has announced more than $200K in grants for North Jersey first responders. He has worked since the outset of the pandemic to secure millions in emergency federal funding to aid New Jersey in its fight against the virus. He also helped pass the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act to provide more immediate relief to every state and local government across the United States and needed relief for vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers keeping us safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.