Durbin Announces an Over $2.5 Million Investment in Illinois First-responder Capabilities
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has made a $2,538,890 investment in seventeen fire departments and fire protection districts in Illinois. This funding will help support and improve the capability of each department and protection district to respond to fires and other types of emergencies.
“Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America's citizens,” Durbin said. “As these brave men and women put themselves in harm’s way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best tools possible to do their jobs well, and today’s grants will help meet that goal.”
The funding is provided through the DHS’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program – a competitive grant program which seeks to strengthen the Nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire related hazards. In the 2010 award year, Illinois received 132 awards which totaled over $14.8 million in federal funding to first-responder organizations for the purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment, training, and vehicles. In FY2011, the program will award approximately $380 million nationwide.
Under this announcement, the following fire departments will receive funding for vehicle acquisition:
- Claremont Bonpas Fire Protection District, Claremont: $209,000 in funding;
- Mt. Morris Fire Protection District, Mt. Morris: $95,000 in funding; and
- Tamms Volunteer Fire Department, Inc, Tamms: $184,205 in funding.
Under this announcement, the following fire departments and fire protection districts services will receive funding for operations and safety activities:
- Beaverville Volunteer Fire Protection District, Beaverville: $28,500 in funding.
- Calumet City Fire Department, Calumet City: $40,500 in funding;
- Chicago Fire Department, Chicago: $534,400 in funding;
- Countryside Fire Protection District, Vernon Hills: $549,529 in funding;
- Danville Fire Department, Danville: $96,660 in funding;
- Decatur Fire & Rescue, Decatur: $50,036 in funding;
- Elkville Fire Department, Elkville: $3,800 in funding
- Galesburg Fire Department, Galesburg: $40,500 in funding;
- Kankakee Township Fire Protection District, Kankakee: $375,085 in funding;
- Long Grove Fire Protection District, Long Grove: $26,600 in funding;
- Mattoon Fire Department, Mattoon: $28,500 in funding;
- Steger Fire Department, Steger: $188,955 in funding;
- Taylorville Fire Department, Taylorville: $16,020 in funding; and
- Waukegan Fire Department, Waukegan: $71,600 in funding.