WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) announced two federal Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) totaling $117,143 to be shared by Bayview Fire Company and Woodbine Volunteer Fire Department. Since the program began in 2001, New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District fire and emergency response organizations have received more than $25 million under AFG.
“Each day our first responders risk their lives for our communities by answering the call for help. Without hesitation the men and women of our fire and emergency response companies come through for us,” said LoBiondo, a member of the Congressional Fire Caucus. “The peer-reviewed AFG program has helped many first responders acquire critical life-saving equipment. I will continue to strongly support this federal program which literally saves lives.”
In their second AFG grant, $100,000 is awarded to the Woodbine Volunteer Fire Department. In 2002, the fire department received $52,922 from the federal program.
Today’s funding announcement includes $17,143 to the Bayview Fire Company.This is the fourth AFG grant for the fire company with previous awards $51,446 (2004), $102,600 (2010), and $14,440 (2011).
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program awards grants directly to fire departments and emergency services to support their efforts to protect the communities they serve. The Fiscal Year 2016 program will award approximately $310.5 million in competitive grants to first responder organizations across the country to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources required to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the program. Last summer Congressman LoBiondo’s office hosted two local seminars for area fire departments to highlight the benefits of this grant program and assist with the application process. They were held in cooperation with Senator Cory Booker’s office. LoBiondo has sponsored similar seminars for more than a decade. More information can be found at www.fema.gov/firegrants/
