“Our Firefighters Deserve Praise”
In Maine, we have 405 fire departments protecting the lives and property of 1.3 million citizens every day. We count on the skill of these brave first responders who answer tens of thousands of calls in any given year. Whether it is a fire, damaging weather, or a medical emergency, Maine’s firefighters still make house calls.
Consider the courage and dedication it takes to enter a burning building, approach a blazing truck, or a smoldering railcar that may explode at any moment – especially when others are running in the opposite direction. It requires training, skill, caring, and discipline to rescue and tend to a victim of a fire or an accident in the midst of confusion and danger. Mainers are grateful for both our career and volunteer firefighters regardless of where they serve. In our largest communities or one of the myriad small towns in rural Maine, our first responders are always on the front lines.
First responders are our first boots on the ground to address danger caused by a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. That is yet another reason why our firefighter and law enforcement personnel need communications systems and other equipment that is state of the art. We never again want to see individuals on rooftops pleading for help that may be delayed because of an inability of responders to communicate with one another or travel to the location where help is needed.
But we must be sure resources are invested carefully and that an effective and efficient structure is established to manage emergency communications and equipment. Plans and systems must be tested during state, regional, and national level exercises.
Since 2002, Maine fire departments have been awarded more than $50 million in competitive grants under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to help purchase new, used, or refurbished vehicles and other equipment. This critical funding has helped Maine cities and towns obtain equipment for firefighting, interoperable communications, chemical detection, safety materials, and other purposes that are essential to first responders.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency administers the competitive grants and recently announced that Maine first responders can apply for AFG grants from August 15, 2011 until September 9, 2011.
In testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee where I am the Ranking Member, Robert McAleer, Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said that “Maine has been fortunate to receive a significant amount of federal funding, for which we are very grateful, to support our efforts. We have used that funding to leverage whatever local funding municipalities have generated to make notable improvements.”
In many cases, these federal dollars enable a community’s department to obtain equipment it simply couldn’t afford on its own. And in every case, the federal grants ease local financial burdens while advancing the national interest in having first responders as prepared as possible for all disasters, whether natural or man-made.
Over the past year or so, fire departments in Allagash, Bristol, Chebeague, Milford, Norridgewock, Oakland, Winthrop, Carmel, Gloucester, Orr's & Bailey Islands, and other Maine towns have joined the ranks of those whose life-saving capabilities have been improved with these federal grants. My staff and I are always willing to help local departments navigate the grant process. Please let us know if we can help. In addition grant guidance for this program is available at www.grants.gov, and at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants/afggrants/index.shtm. Also the “Get Ready Guide”, available at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/firegrants/Get_Ready_Guide.pdf , may also be useful for potential applicants and is provided to answer questions and to help prepare grant applications.
Consider the courage and dedication it takes to enter a burning building, approach a blazing truck, or a smoldering railcar that may explode at any moment – especially when others are running in the opposite direction. It requires training, skill, caring, and discipline to rescue and tend to a victim of a fire or an accident in the midst of confusion and danger. Mainers are grateful for both our career and volunteer firefighters regardless of where they serve. In our largest communities or one of the myriad small towns in rural Maine, our first responders are always on the front lines.
First responders are our first boots on the ground to address danger caused by a natural disaster or even a terrorist attack. That is yet another reason why our firefighter and law enforcement personnel need communications systems and other equipment that is state of the art. We never again want to see individuals on rooftops pleading for help that may be delayed because of an inability of responders to communicate with one another or travel to the location where help is needed.
But we must be sure resources are invested carefully and that an effective and efficient structure is established to manage emergency communications and equipment. Plans and systems must be tested during state, regional, and national level exercises.
Since 2002, Maine fire departments have been awarded more than $50 million in competitive grants under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to help purchase new, used, or refurbished vehicles and other equipment. This critical funding has helped Maine cities and towns obtain equipment for firefighting, interoperable communications, chemical detection, safety materials, and other purposes that are essential to first responders.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency administers the competitive grants and recently announced that Maine first responders can apply for AFG grants from August 15, 2011 until September 9, 2011.
In testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee where I am the Ranking Member, Robert McAleer, Director of the Maine Emergency Management Agency, said that “Maine has been fortunate to receive a significant amount of federal funding, for which we are very grateful, to support our efforts. We have used that funding to leverage whatever local funding municipalities have generated to make notable improvements.”
In many cases, these federal dollars enable a community’s department to obtain equipment it simply couldn’t afford on its own. And in every case, the federal grants ease local financial burdens while advancing the national interest in having first responders as prepared as possible for all disasters, whether natural or man-made.
Over the past year or so, fire departments in Allagash, Bristol, Chebeague, Milford, Norridgewock, Oakland, Winthrop, Carmel, Gloucester, Orr's & Bailey Islands, and other Maine towns have joined the ranks of those whose life-saving capabilities have been improved with these federal grants. My staff and I are always willing to help local departments navigate the grant process. Please let us know if we can help. In addition grant guidance for this program is available at www.grants.gov, and at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants/afggrants/index.shtm. Also the “Get Ready Guide”, available at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/firegrants/Get_Ready_Guide.pdf , may also be useful for potential applicants and is provided to answer questions and to help prepare grant applications.
