Durbin Announces More Than $1 Million in FEMA Grants for Illinois Fire Prevention and Research
[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 two grants totaling $1,013,069 to two organizations in Illinois for Research and Fire Prevention.
“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 and knowledge 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 which seeks to strengthen the Nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and fire related hazards. In the 2009 award year, Illinois received 240 awards – totaling over $25.4 million in federal funding to first-responder organizations to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment, training, and vehicles. In FY2010, the program will award approximately $390 million nationwide.
The following recipients will receive funding under this announcement:
- Lemont Fire Protection District - $13,500 in funding for fire prevention was awarded to the Lemont Fire Protection District covers an area of approximately 40 square miles and serves the Village of Lemont, portions of Woodridge, Darien, Bolingbrook, and Homer Glen.
- University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign - $999,569 in funding was awarded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Board of Trustees for firefighter safety research and development.