| June 11, 2003 |
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) today announced that the Cool-Garner Fire Rescue in Weatherford will receive $40,500 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 Cool-Garner firefighters to respond effectively and safely to emergencies."
Cool-Garner was established in 1986 on local donations and serves a population of 3,000 over an area of 57 square miles. The fire department can use the federal funding to support training, fitness, firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, and modifications to its facilities.
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 $750 million in the firefighters grants program distributed by the Department of Homeland Security marks a significant increase from the $360 million in grants announced 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.