U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Thursday joined Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, and Senators Tom Carper and Scott Brown in introducing legislation to reauthorize three grant programs critical to the hiring, training, and equipping of firefighters and emergency medical personnel across the country.
The Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2011 would continue funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) and Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&S) programs. Collins, Lieberman, and Carper are Co-Chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.
Similar legislation was approved by the Committee last year.
"The fire grants program is one of the most successful programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security," said Senator Collins. "It is an efficient and effective model for delivering grant funding because it is peer-reviewed and monies are provided directly to local fire departments. Our bill retains and builds upon the most important provisions that enabled the Fire Act grant program to be successful - a competitive process for evaluating applications, awards made directly to local communities, and a proven peer review process that functions well. Because of this bill, fire departments will continue to receive the support they need to purchase equipment and vehicles and conduct the training and exercises necessary to perform their jobs well."
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as the FIRE Act grant program, provides federal grants to local fire departments and Emergency Medical Services to help address a variety of equipment, training and other firefighter and emergency response needs. Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FPS&S) grants support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and fire-related hazards. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) Program provides grants to career, volunteer, and combination fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.
The legislation reauthorizes the FIRE and SAFER grant programs for five years. The bill includes a number of accountability measures, including performance assessments and a competitive award process. The bill additionally requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress the effect changes to the grant programs have had on mitigating fire, fire-related and other hazards. Since the creation of this program, Maine fire departments have been awarded more than $54 million to help purchase new, used, or refurbished vehicles, and to obtain equipment for firefighting, interoperable communications, chemical detection, and other purposes that are essential to first responders.