WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Representative Steny Hoyer (all D-Md.) have announced more than $98,000 in federal funding for the Newburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department, Inc. to replace outdated rescue equipment, including the “jaws of life,” spreaders, cutters, rams, jacks, and stabilizers. These tools are used for rescuing people from entrapment in vehicle crashes and other wreckage. The funding was awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.
“Equipping our first responders with the tools they need is a matter of life and death – for them and for the people they regularly save from harm. The AFG program provides critical federal resources for improvements that volunteer fire departments would not be able to afford on their own. I will continue to fight for such investments in public safety for Newburg and communities throughout Maryland,” said Senator Cardin.
“Providing our local first responders with the resources they need is crucial to their ability to serve our communities. This funding will allow fire departments in Charles County to upgrade their equipment, and will better prepare them to achieve their life-saving mission,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committees. “In the Senate, I will continue working to support Maryland’s emergency responders.”
“I’m pleased that the Newburg Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department will receive this critical funding to replace outdated equipment,” said Congressman Hoyer. “As Co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, ensuring our first responders have the tools they need to effectively protect our communities remains one of my top priorities in Congress. Our firefighters in Charles County put their lives on the line every day to keep families in our communities safe, and I’m confident these funds will help ensure they can do their jobs safely and effectively.”
Federal funds are awarded through the AFG program, which provides grants directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations, and state fire training academies to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel. The Members worked to secure $350 million for the AFG program for Fiscal Year 2019 and continue to work towards robust funding for the program. The Maryland delegation is announcing over $30 million in funding for first responders throughout the state.
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