U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, has announced that $42,600 has been awarded to the Secaucus Fire Department as part of the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) program.
Pascrell represents the 9th Congressional District in New Jersey, which includes Secaucus.
Administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, the AFG program provides direct support to eligible fire departments to help them meet the demands of their work.
The fire department will use this award to invest in training and purchase machines that will thoroughly decontaminate firefighters’ personal protective equipment. The machines will improve firefighter health and safety and reduce health risks.
Funding for this program is provided by Pascrell’s Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act, which was signed into law in 2000 by President Bill Clinton. Through the legislation, Pascrell helps procure hundreds of thousands in federal support for New Jersey firefighters each year.
“As we continue to beat back COVID-19, our nation’s firefighters are putting their lives on the line like never before,” Pascrell said. “This federal investment in Secaucus’s Bravest will help them continue their vital work of keeping our community safe.”
Second grant in recent months
Earlier in July, Pascrell secured a $14,058 grant to equip the department’s state-of-the-art fire rescue boat with an electronic communication system that will allow the department to streamline communications with the Coast Guard and other public safety agencies. Pascrell helped secure funding for the fire rescue boat in 2018, and joined Secaucus firefighters to unveil the vessel a year later.
“Working with President Biden, I am more confident than ever that these grants will continue to flow into our cities and towns here in North Jersey,” Pascrell said. “I am proud that we were able to bring this federal money home for our community, and I will continue to fight for every cent that supports New Jersey’s first responders.”
Pascrell is a longtime champion of public safety funding. Earlier this year he helped pass President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which provided an additional $200 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response grant program, which supports the hiring and retention of firefighters.
The relief package includes an additional $100 million for Pascrell’s AFG program, which helps departments invest in lifesaving equipment and resources, such as personal protective equipment, and provides training and mental health support.
Pascrell helped pass the CARES Act in March 2020, which included $100 million in emergency AFG funding.
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