Contingency Planning

FEMA Awards $490 Million to Support America's Firefighters

August 13, 2007

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the first round of awards under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The FY 2007 AFG will provide over $490 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations across the nation. Through this first round of awards, 459 departments will receive a total of just over $35 million.

"Through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, the department demonstrates its continued support for the men and women of our nation’s fire service," says FEMA Administrator David Paulison. "AFG provides first responders with critically needed equipment, training, and other resources to ensure they are fully prepared to protect our communities and to do so safely and effectively."

Since FY 2001, and including FY 2007, more than $3.3 billion in AFG funding has been distributed to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations for response equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles and training. AFG is a highly competitive program. FEMA received more than 20,000 applications requesting over $3 billion in funding under the FY 2007 AFG.

AFG supports activities in two program areas: Operations and safety, which funds activities such as training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness and health and safety modifications to stations and facilities; and vehicle acquisition, which funds fire department apparatus, such as brush trucks, tankers/tenders, rescue vehicles, ambulances, aerials, foam units and fireboats. AFG also supports regional projects in which multiple organizations serving more than one local jurisdiction benefit directly from activities implemented with grant funds.

FEMA selects AFG recipients through a competitive process overseen by fire service subject matter experts. Grants are awarded to applicants whose requests best address AFG program priorities recommended by a panel of fire service professionals representing the nine major fire service organizations. The list of FY 2007 AFG recipients and other information is posted on the AFG Web site (www.firegrantsupport.com).

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

- FEMA