Husted secures more than $1.6 million in federal funding for Ohio fire departments

“Our firefighters and EMT’s run toward danger every single day to keep Ohioans safe, and they deserve the training, equipment and staffing to do that job well.” WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today announced that he secured more than $1.6 million in federal funding for five Ohio fire departments through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. Husted successfully advocated for the funding by submitting letters of support on behalf of each department’s grant application. “Our firefighters and EMT’s run toward danger every single day to keep Ohioans safe, and they deserve the training, equipment and staffing to do that job well. I’m proud to have supported these five Ohio departments as they secured the resources they need to protect their communities,” said Husted. The five Ohio departments receiving funding are: The City of Defiance Fire Department: $230,336 to give seven firefighters advanced rescue training. The Woodlawn Fire Department: $347,619 for a new ambulance. The Eastlake Fire Department: $74,620 to install new equipment in the firehouse. The City of Franklin Division of Fire & EMS: $340,000 for new medical equipment. The Painesville City Fire Department: $620,084 to hire six additional firefighters. Background: FEMA’s AFG program provides direct federal funding to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations and state fire training academies for essential equipment, training, protective gear, vehicles, facility safety improvements and responder health and wellness. Its purpose is to strengthen the safety and readiness of firefighters and the public facing fire and related hazards. FEMA’s SAFER program funds fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to build and sustain an adequate firefighting force, either by paying for additional firefighters or by recruiting and retaining volunteers. Its central goal is to help communities meet industry standards, maintain 24-hour protection where needed and carry out core fire and emergency-response missions.