Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $3 Million In Federal Funding For Firefighter Resources
CHICAGO – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded a total of $3,122,417 to sixteen communities across Illinois through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. The AFG Program provides first-responder organizations with the ability to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and training in an effort to strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness.
“Our nation's firefighters are called upon day after day to protect our communities. As these brave men and women put themselves in harm’s way, we must ensure that they are equipped with the best, most up-to-date tools possible to do their jobs well,” Durbin said. “I’m proud to fight for funding that will support our first-responders throughout Illinois.”
“Firefighters in communities throughout Illinois risk their lives and run toward danger when others run away. We owe it to them to make sure they have the best equipment and training, and I'm proud to join senator Durbin in announcing this funding to help them get it,” Duckworth said.
Under this announcement, the following ten departments/ districts will receive a total of $1,125,693 and use the funds for operations and safety including professional training, wellness and fitness programs equipment, personal protective equipment, modifications to facilities, and supplies that support firefighting and non-affiliated EMS operations and safety:
· Camp Point Fire Protection District (Camp Point, IL): $5,240
· Chatham Fire Protection District (Chatham, IL): $207,273
· City of Witt (Witt, IL): $74,286
· Elmhurst Fire Department (Elmhurst, IL): $34,286
· Hanover Volunteer Fire Protection District (Hanover, IL): $27,410
· Kickapoo Fire Protection District (Danville, IL): $89,286
· LaSalle Fire Department (LaSalle, IL): $135,048
· Mount Prospect Fire Department (Mount Prospect, IL): $159,682
· Orland Fire Protection District (Orland Park, IL): $143,182
· Rockford Fire Department (Rockford, IL): $250,000
Under this announcement, the following six departments/ districts qualified for a total of $1,996,724 in Regional projects in which multiple organizations (Fire and/or non-affiliated EMS) serving more than one local jurisdiction will benefit directly from the activities requested with grant funds:
· Burbank Fire Department (Burbank, IL): $861,280
· Champaign Regional (Champaign, IL): $333,819
· Dwight Fire Protection District (Dwight, IL): $209,334
· La Grange Fire Department (La Grange, IL): $309,000
· Richton Park Fire Department (Richton Park, IL): $279,791
· Taylorville Fire Department (Taylorville, IL): $3,500
Since Fiscal Year 2001, the AFG Program has provided approximately $6.7 billion in grants to first-responder organizations. This program is administered by the DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.