06.26.14

Durbin Announces A Nearly $827,000 Investment In Illinois First-Responder Capabilities

Chicagoland to receive more than $535,000 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 $826,401 in grants to fire departments 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 following fire departments will receive funding for operations and safety:

  • Broadview Fire Department (Broadview, Illinois): $329,413 in funding;
  • Village of Oak Lawn (Oak Lawn, Illinois): $206,428 in funding.
  • Decatur Fire and Rescue (Decatur, Illinois): $24,560 in funding;

Under this announcement, the City of Murphysboro (Murphysboro, Illinois) also received $266,000 in funding for vehicle acquisition.

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.