August 25 , 2005

Jefferson Township Fire Department to Receive Funding from Department of Homeland Security

$91,200 to be used to purchase essential firefighter safety gear

COLUMBUS , OH – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) announced today the awarding of a federal grant to help Jefferson Township purchase upgraded firefighting equipment. The grant, in the amount of $91,200 is provided by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as part of its 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The Congresswoman applauded the Department’s decision. “I thank the Department of Homeland Security for its commitment to the safety and lives of the brave men and women of the Jefferson Township Fire Department,” said Pryce. “It is imperative that first responders be provided the tools and equipment they need when they put themselves in harm’s way.”

Jefferson Township Fire Department sought funding for new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA), essential equipment for use in chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) exposures for first responders.

"Without these federal grant funds, the Jefferson Township Fire Department would have been unable to complete these vital projects the last couple of years," said Jefferson Township Fire Chief Bill Houk.  "The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is a profoundly successful program that is helping to prepare America's fire service."

This grant marks the second significant investment by DHS in Jefferson Township’s Fire Department. In January of 2004, DHS awarded Jefferson Township $113,604 for the purchase heavy duty squad jackets, a fire detection system, an upgraded radio system, and a vehicle exhaust system.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program awards one-year grants directly to fire departments to support the nation's firefighters and the services they deliver. For the 2005 program, Congress appropriated $650 million in direct assistance to firefighters. The money will be used to improve the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, and to establish or expand fire prevention programs throughout the United States.

Congresswoman Pryce, the fourth ranking member of House Leadership, served as a member of the House Select Homeland Security Committee and helped draft the bill creating the Department of Homeland Security.  The Congresswoman represents the Fifteenth District of Ohio, which includes Western Franklin County, Madison, and Union Counties.