Maryland Delegation Members Announce $931,000 for Firefighters, First Responders in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard Counties

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced $931,896.84 in federal funding to support Maryland firefighters and first responders in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Howard Counties. The funding will enhance emergency response capabilities through personnel recruitment and equipment upgrades, ensuring better protection for the public, firefighters, and other first responders.

"Maryland's firefighters and first responders run towards danger every day to protect us, and we need to have their backs. This federal funding will help ensure our local fire departments have the resources and support they need to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies in our communities," said the lawmakers.

The federal grants have been awarded as follows:

1. $490,909.08 to Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Company in Anne Arundel County to replace thermal imaging cameras and purchase an air and light vehicle, which enables firefighters to refill oxygen tanks and provides high resolution lighting to assist on-scene response.
2. $272,200 to Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County for recruitment and retention activities. The Department also received a $64,772.72 award earlier this summer to implement a comprehensive cancer screening program for its members.
3. $127,533.22 to the Baltimore County Fire Department Administrator Service to distribute and install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in at-risk communities.
4. $41,254.54 to Howard County Fire and Rescue to support its Fitness and Injury Prevention Program.

The awards are provided through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, and Fire Prevention and Safety Grant (FP&S) program with funds from FY2023 annual appropriations that the lawmakers fought to secure. The lawmakers additionally worked to reauthorize the AFG, SAFER, and FP&S programs through FY2028 within the Fire Grants and Safety Act of 2023, which passed Congress and was signed into law earlier this year.

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