PROVIDENCE, RI – Saluting the hard work and dedication of Rhode Island’s firefighters, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today visited the Providence Fire Department (PFD) today at the Public Safety Complex on Washington Street to thank local firefighters and first responders and hail the enactment of a new federal law to provide more money for local fire departments.

Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, said the federal law will help provide more funding to local fire departments to purchase gear, trucks, and hire and retain more firefighters.  It reauthorizes and refreshes the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act and keeps the spigot of federal fire grants flowing to local communities.  It will maintain access to federal grant programs like Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).

These federal grants totaled nearly $3.7 million for Providence since 2019, and Rhode Island fire departments and fire districts across the state have benefited from $56.4 million from these grants during the same period.

“Rhode Island’s firefighters work around the clock to keep us safe and respond to emergencies involving fires, car accidents, heart attacks, and other hazardous incidents.  I will continue working at the federal level to ensure our fire departments have the resources and staffing support they need to save lives and protect our communities,” said Senator Reed.  “I want to say thank you to our firefighters for putting their lives on the line and making tremendous sacrifices.  Thank you for making our communities safer.  You do important and dangerous work and we are so grateful and want to ensure you have the resources and support you need.”

“We are incredibly grateful to receive both the SAFER and AFG grants, which will significantly enhance our ability to protect and serve the Providence community,” said Providence Fire Chief Derek Silva. “These funds will allow us to hire and retain firefighters, purchase equipment and provide training.  Ultimately, these grants will enhance the safety and effectiveness of our firefighters, improving the overall safety of our residents. I thank U.S. Senator Jack Reed for his ongoing support to public safety and helping to  provide the highest level of Emergency Medical Services  to the people of Providence.”

The new law increases the annual authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by about $20 million while maintaining the authorized annual funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million.

Last year, Congress appropriated $648 million for the SAFER and AFG programs.  Senator Reed hosts an annual fire grant workshop for communities across the state to help them compete for federal fire grant funding.  Earlier this month, four fire departments -- in East Greenwich, Middletown, Lincoln, and Providence – were awarded a share of nearly $464,000 in AFG funding.

The Providence Fire Department dates back to 1759, when it started as a volunteer bucket brigade, and became the second professional paid organization in the country on March 1, 1854.  Today, the PFD, which is the second largest fire department in New England after Boston, responds to over 45,000 service annually.

Last year, PFD’s 370-plus firefighters handled over 47,300 calls.  Less than five percent of these calls are for fires and nearly two-thirds of calls are for various rescues, including mental health-related calls.  Senator Reed co-authored the landmark National Suicide Hotline Designation Act (Public Law No: 116-172) designating 988 as a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline and has delivered federal capacity-building grants for states to boost staffing and implement technology upgrades so that people in mental health crisis can get specialized help from trained mental health professionals.

“When someone is in crisis and needs help, we need to get them the support they need as quickly and effectively as possible.  What we’re seeing is 988 is helping deliver those services and reduce some of the 911 response calls.  There will be times when firefighters rush to the scene to help with 988 calls if someone is in crisis, but getting callers to connect with specialists first can tailor the response to the caller’s needs while at the same time allowing first responders to focus on their life-saving and rescue services,” noted Reed.

PFD 7-16-24