Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), the longtime co-chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, today celebrated passage of his amendment to provide $10 million each in additional funding to the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and to the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. AFG and SAFER provide critical federal aid directly to fire departments for their live saving work. With the $10 million increases each program would be appropriated for $370 million next year.

This bipartisan amendment is sponsored by Caucus co-chairs: Reps. Pascrell, Mike Bost (R-IL-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05).

“As we hurtle toward a total government shutdown I am deeply gratified we were able to amass critical support for fire departments across America,” said Congressman Pascrell. “The Assistance to Firefighters and SAFER programs are two of the important lifelines to fire services in the entire federal code. Departments from coast to coast always need help to get their job done and the federal government has a big role to play in providing that aid. In the midst of everything occurring in the Capitol, our firefighters are never forgotten in Washington.”

“As one of the few former firefighters in Congress, it’s a very personal mission for me to ensure our firefighters receive the help they need to continue their life saving work,” said Congressman Bost. “My role as co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus provides an important platform to see that mission through. I’m proud to support the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response programs within this amendment to make sure our firefighters have the safe and effective facilities, gear, staff, and support they need to do their jobs and keep their communities safe.”

“I thank Representatives Pascrell, Bost, Hoyer, and Fitzpatrick for introducing their amendment to increase funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant and SAFER programs,” said Fire Chief John S. Butler, Fairfax County, VA and International Association of Fire Chiefs President. “Fire departments rely upon the AFG and SAFER programs as they face increasing costs for equipment and challenges in recruiting and retaining their staffing. It is important that these programs be adequately funded.”

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, I would like to thank Congressman Pascrell for his introduction of this important amendment.   The AFG and SAFER grant programs help ensure fire departments across the country have access to the critical equipment, staffing, and training they need to keep our communities safe.  We thank the Congressman for his continued commitment to the health and safety of America’s firefighters and our citizens,” said Victor Stagnaro, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

“I commend Representatives Pascrell, Bost, Hoyer, and Fitzpatrick for introducing this important amendment. The additional funding it would provide to AFG and SAFER would be a great step forward in closing the gap between need and available funding for fire departments to reach a baseline level of readiness to effectively serve their communities,” said Steve Hirsch, Chair, National Volunteer Fire Council.

"Representative Pascrell has never wavered in his commitment to provide the resources necessary to equip New Jersey's firefighters with the equipment, tools, training, and staffing to keep our communities safe," Eddie Donnelley, President of the NJFMBA said. "The dollars our champion in Washington has brought home already this this year have been impactful and provided safer working conditions for our Firefighters. On behalf of our over 6000 members we say Thank You, Congressman Pascrell."

Fire departments throughout the country are stretched thin. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments are receiving more calls for service than at any point in the history of our nation.

In 2021 alone, fire departments responded to more than 36.6 million calls for fire assistance, medical emergencies, mutual aid, hazmat, natural disasters, search and rescue, active shooter and so much more. Many fire departments bravely respond to these calls without adequate equipment and gear. 

Since it was first conceived of by Rep. Pascrell in his landmark FIRE Act, signed into law in 2000 by President Clinton, the AFG grant program has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for emergency response. The SAFER grant program has provided funding directly to fire departments to increase or maintain their ranks and meet industry-minimum standards for first responders.

In the Ninth Congressional District of New Jersey, there were 24 AFG applications submitted last year totaling more than $8.5 million. There were an additional 4 applications for SAFER with a combined request value of nearly $17 million. In FY 2022, fire departments from all over the country submitted more than 7,000 AFG applications totaling over $2.5 billion. With a budget of $360 million, only a fraction of the deserving applicants were awarded grants. Similarly, the SAFER grant program constantly receives many more applications than it can fund.