WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (all Md.) today announced $2,134,583 in federal funding for Maryland firefighters in Cecil, Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, and Worcester Counties. The funding will enhance firefighters’ emergency response capabilities and their ability to protect the health and safety of the public and themselves. It will also support the recruitment and retention of additional firefighters.

“Maryland’s firefighters and first responders work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods safe, often putting their lives on the line to protect others. This federal funding will provide our local fire departments with additional tools to better protect firefighters as they work to protect our communities across the Eastern Shore,” said the lawmakers.

The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

• $466,900.00 to the Community Fire Company of Perryville, Maryland, Inc. in Cecil County for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. With the opening of Great Wolf Lodge, the Department has received an increase in calls for emergency response;
• $399,371.42 to Berlin Fire Company, Inc. in Worcester County to purchase 42 sets of new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) to replace units that are outdated and no longer compliant with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards;
• $368,412.27 to the Water Witch Fire Company, Inc. in Cecil County toprovide 86 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for six departments across Cecil County – Water Witch Fire Company in Port Deposit, Cecilton Fire Company, the Singerly Fire Company in Elkton, Hacks Point Fire Department in Earleville, the Volunteer Fire Co. of Chesapeake City, and the North East Fire Co.;
• $286,363.63 to the Water Witch Fire Company, Inc. in Cecil County to acquire 9 new cardiac monitors;
• $206,533 to the Fairmount Volunteer Fire Company in Somerset County to purchase 16 sets of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus to replace units that are outdated and no longer compliant with NFPA standards and to replace its Air Cascade Refill station;
• $201,800 to the Oxford Fire Department in Talbot County to purchase 22 sets of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus to replace units that are outdated and no longer compliant with NFPA standards and to replace its Air Cascade Refill station and 2 Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) kits;
• $136,631.81 to Cecil County to acquire 25 sets of Personal Protective Equipment and 4 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus units;
• $68,571.42 to Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Co. in Dorchester County to acquire 20 sets of Personal Protective Equipment;

Funding is from the Department of Homeland Security’s FY2022 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) awards. The programs are administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

###