Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced a total of $129,509 in funding for the Camden Volunteer Fire Department. This funding is being allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Funding will be used by the Camden Volunteer Fire Department to improve their ability to respond to fires and other hazards.
“This is a great investment for Camden,” Senator Gillibrand said. “This federal investment will help improve the fire department’s equipment, help local firefighters do their work and keep families safe. I will continue working to ensure our first responders have the tools and resources they need to keep our communities safe.”
“The Camden Volunteer Fire Department is very happy to have been given this news today of receiving this grant totaling $129,000 dollars,” said Dustin Hite, Camden Volunteer Department Chief. “In a community where the fire department budget has been drastically cut over the past few years, this is a great breath of fresh air for our members. The members of the Camden Volunteer fire department work hard for our community all hours of the day and night. We work hard to fund raise to provide for our members and our community’s protection. This money is going to be used for protective equipment and training for our members. All most all of our equipment is out dated according to the National Fire Protection Association standards. This will provide our members with the most up to date structural firefighting gear. The Camden Volunteer Fire Department is very grateful to FEMA for awarding this grant to our department with the assistance of Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.”
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, established by DHS and FEMA, is part of an effort to increase the nation’s emergency response preparation. This program provides federal funding to first-responder organization for the acquisition of personal protective equipment, firefighting vehicles, and emergency response equipment. These funds also help provide emergency response training to firefighters.