DeLauro Announces Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grants for Middletown and West Haven

House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) announced a total of $287,422 in Assistance to Firefighters Grants for the Connecticut State Fire Training Academy in Middletown and City of West Haven Fire Department-Allingtown to enhance existing firefighting abilities and greater protect the people of Connecticut's Third Congressional District.

"Ensuring that our firefighters have the best equipment is critical to protecting the people of Connecticut from the devastating impacts of fires and other emergencies. Those on the frontlines need and deserve adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards," said Chair DeLauro. "These critical grants will prepare our first responders for the lifesaving work of fighting and preventing fires. Firefighters, volunteer firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians work every day to protect us, and this federal funding plays an important role in guaranteeing they have the tools to protect themselves and the health and safety of the public."

"I would like to convey to Congresswoman DeLauro how much I, as the entire fire service does, appreciate all of her efforts in securing much needed additional funding to purchase vital equipment needed for fire departments to meet their mission goals" said City of West Haven-Allingtown Fire Department Chief Michael R. Terenzio. "Brave men and women who become Firefighters are able to meet the challenges presented by emergencies they are called to mitigate by being properly and appropriately trained, and equipped to do so. The funding we were just awarded will enable us to replace a 32-year-old Self Contained Breathing Apparatus bottle refill station that includes a 6000-psi compressor, compressed air storage bottles, and breathing air filters to ensure firefighters are provided with reliable, uncontaminated breathing air needed to enter into toxic atmospheres commonly encountered at fire and other emergencies. The current aging system has suffered numerous mechanical failures and is becoming non-cost effective to continually repair it."

"We are grateful to Congresswomen DeLauro and Connecticut's Congressional delegation for their continued support and championing the FEMA AFG program," said Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commission on Fire Prevention & Control State Fire Administrator Jeff J. Morrissette. "Since 2001, the AFG program has provided millions of dollars to aid Connecticut fire departments and the state's fire academy to obtain critically needed resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. This year's award to the Connecticut Fire Academy will allow replacement of near obsolete PPE used by our instructional staff as well as the purchase of simulator technology to be used in training our state's fire officers and firefighters."

This funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will support the following projects:

• Connecticut State Fire Training Academy in Middletown, CT, received $220,755.57 for firefighter turnout gear and a firefighter training simulator.
• The City of West Haven Fire Department-Allingtown in West Haven, CT, received $66,666.66 for a breathing air compressor and breathing apparatus refill system.

The AFG program is part of a coordinated ongoing effort by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to improve the nation's ability to respond to emergency situations.

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