Durbin Announces A More Than $417,000 Investment in Illinois First-Responder Capabilities
Salina Township in Kankakee County, Illinois, to Receive More Than $276,000 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 $417,325 in grants to five communities throughout Illinois. Today’s funding will support and improve the capability of each department to respond to fires and other types of emergencies.
“This federal funding will ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur in our communities, our nation’s firefighters and first-responders have access to the best resources they need to do their jobs well and the equipment needed to help protect them as they protect us,” Durbin said.
Under this announcement, the Salina Township Fire Protection District in Kankakee County will receive $276,070 in funding for vehicle acquisition.
Also under this announcement, the following fire departments and districts will receive funding for operations and safety:
- Northern Piatt County Fire Protection District #1 (Northern Piatt County, Illinois): $90,440 in funding;
- Charleston Fire Department (Charleston, Illinois): $8,559 in funding;
- Randolph Township Fire Protection District (McLean County, Illinois): $13,006 in funding and;
- Cicero Fire Department (Cicero, Illinois): $29,250 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. In Fiscal Year 2013, the program will award approximately $320.9 million directly to fire departments and non-affiliated EMS organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel with respect to fire and all other hazards.