04.13.17

Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $600,000 in Federal Funding for Firefighter Training and Resources

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $628,017 to Brown County Ambulance Service and the State Fire Training Academy at the University of Illinois through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.  This program is administered by the DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

“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.  This funding will support valuable training as well as resources and programs 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.

Brown County Ambulance Service was awarded $217,620 and will 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.

The University of Illinois was awarded $410,397 and will use the funds for its State Fire Training Academy in order to pay for critically needed resources to protect the public, to train emergency personnel, and to foster interoperability and support community resilience.

Assistance to Firefighters Grants provide first-responder organizations 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.  Since Fiscal Year 2001, the AFG Program has provided approximately $6.7 billion in grants to first-responder organizations.