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Arcuri Calls for Increased Funding for Firefighters and First Responders

Washington, DC -- U.S. Representative Michael A. Arcuri (D-Utica) sent a letter earlier this week to House officials urging additional assistance for local firefighters and first responders.

Arcuri joined 100 Members of Congress in writing to the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee requesting additional funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) program which award competitive grants to fire departments to help meet equipment, training and staffing needs.

“The fire departments and first responders in our communities work tirelessly to keep us safe, in turn we owe it to them to provide the resources they need to be protected,” said Arcuri, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “It has been a great pleasure to announce over a dozen Assistance to Firefighters Grants for the hard-working fire departments in our district just in the last few months. The hard work and dedication of our first responders allows families throughout the 24th district to sleep easy and wake up safe.”

Since taking office Arcuri has announced 13 Assistance to Firefighters Grants totaling over $1 million for fire departments in the 24th district. The primary goal of the AFG program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

The SAFER program provides funding for career and volunteer fire departments to hire new firefighters and recruit and retain volunteer fire fighters.  Earlier this month, Arcuri cosponsored the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Act (H.R. 943) which would provide tax assistance for volunteer emergency responders to help area fire departments retain and recruit volunteers.  The 24th Congressional District is home to a number of firehouses that rely exclusively on volunteer firefighters.

The Administration’s Fiscal Year 2008 Budget provides only $300 million for Fire Grants and zero funding for the SAFER Program.   Last year, Congress appropriated $547 million for Fire Grants and $115 million for SAFER.

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