| August 28, 2003 |
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) today announced that the Benbrook Volunteer Fire Department will receive more than $50,000 from the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen its firefighting operations. The federal grant is being awarded under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which was funded in an appropriations bill passed by Congress earlier this year.
"One of the core missions of the Homeland Security Department is ensuring firefighters and other first responders have the equipment and training they need to protect their communities," said Granger, who serves on the Select Committee on Homeland Security. "This funding will strengthen the ability of the Benbrook Fire Department to ensure the safety of both the community and the firefighters who help protect it every day."
The Benbrook Fire Department serves the city of Benbrook, a Fort Worth suburb, and 23 square miles in the southwest corner of Tarrant County. The department plans to use the funds to upgrade their protective clothing and respiratory protection equipment for its more than 30 firefighters and for training and equipment for a hazardous materials response team.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program awards one-year grants directly to local fire departments, enhancing their abilities to respond to fire and fire-related hazards in their communities. For 2003, the Department of Homeland Security has handed out more than $750 million to firehouses across the country. This amount more than doubles the $350 million that was distributed last year.
"The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is a great example of how Homeland Security is putting key resources directly into neighborhoods and communities to better secure the homeland," said Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.