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WASHINGTON—U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-08) today congratulated the Passaic Fire Department for swearing-in eight new firefighters. The new firefighters were hired as a result of Passaic City being awarded an $868,000 federal grant designed to help adequately staff local fire departments. Funding was awarded through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act, which Pascrell co-authored in 2003 and was signed into law in 2005.
“As a former mayor, I understand the financial straits that cities face during difficult economic times,” stated Pascrell. “I am particularly proud to have worked with the City of Passaic amidst tough conditions to secure this funding and prioritize public safety. I congratulate Passaic for taking on these eight new firefighters and wish them luck in the training academy.”
The SAFER grant program was inspired by the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, which Pascrell introduced in 1999 and moved through Congress before it was signed into law in 2000. The FIRE Act, which created the AFG program started as a $100 million grant program in 2001 and has grown to a $490 million program this year. Marking the first comprehensive federal commitment to local fire department and emergency response organizations, the AFG program has funded over $2.75 billion in equipment, training and vehicles. The City of Passaic has been awarded three fire grants for a total of $705,600 in equipment, vehicle acquisition and training.
Despite the AFG program’s incredible success, Pascrell was not fully satisfied by the omission of a provision which would have addressed staffing inadequacies at fire departments all across America. Determined to provide a funding source for staffing, Pascrell led a successful Congressional effort in 2003 to expand federal assistance for local fire departments to invest in personnel recruitment and retention. The SAFER grant program was created and began funding efforts for local departments to recruit and retain fire fighters in 2005. It has awarded 684 grants in the amount of $271 million since its creation.
To learn more about the AFG and SAFER grant programs, please visit the following site:
http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/
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