07.02.14

Durbin Announces A More Than $231,000 Investment In Chicagoland First-Responder Capabilities

Streamwood, Illinois to receive more than $211,000 in funding

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has awarded $231,210 in grants to fire departments in the Chicagoland area. Today’s funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies.

 

“We must ensure our nation’s fire fighters and first-responders are equipped with the best, most up-to-date tools to do their jobs effectively. Today’s grants will help meet that goal," Durbin said.             

Under this announcement, the following fire departments will receive funding for operations and safety:

 

  • Streamwood Fire Department, (Streamwood, Illinois): $211,410 in funding;

 

  • Park Forest Fire Department (Park Forest, Illinois): $19,800 in funding.
The funding is provided through the DHS’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program which seeks to strengthen the Nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire related hazards. Since 2001, the AFG has provided approximately $5.25 billion in federal funding to first-responder organizations across the country to help purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment, training, and vehicles. The AFG is in the process of awarding approximately $320.9 million in competitive grants to fire departments and non-affiliated EMS organizations from Fiscal Year 2013 AFG funding.