WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to bolster Rhode Island's emergency response capabilities, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that Warwick Fire Department will receive a $414,620 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

This federal funding will be used towards the purchase of 57 new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs) to meet national standards and upgrade other emergency response equipment.  An SCBA is a device worn by fire fighters and other rescue workers that provides them with breathable air and necessary protection against harmful toxins in what are called Immediate Danger to Life and Health (IDLH) atmospheres.

The federal grant will also fund a training program to educate the more than 200 members of the Warwick Fire Department in the new SCBA program. 

“Firefighting is dangerous work and this new equipment will help protect our firefighters and help them save lives and prevent property damage as they do their jobs.  I am pleased to have helped secure this funding for the Warwick Fire Department.  We rely on our firefighters, and they do outstanding work,” said Reed, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee which allocates funding to programs like AFG.

Earlier this year Senator Reed wrote a letter to the Department of Homeland Security supporting Warwick’s application.  He also hosts an annual workshop to assist Rhode Island fire departments that are interested in applying for AFG grants.  Communities across Rhode Island have won multiple awards from the federal program since Reed began his workshops.  Last year the West Warwick Fire Department received $247,000 in AFG funding to help purchase a pumper truck.

The AFG program awards one-year grants through the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to local fire departments and emergency responders, enhancing their ability to respond to emergencies.  This program supports local departments by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel.

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