WASHINGTON, D.C. – New federal resources have been awarded to a fire department serving Hancock, Seneca, and Wood Counties. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that the Fostoria Fire Division has been awarded resources for staffing by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) – Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program. This grant program is administered in conjunction with the U.S. Fire Administration.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line each day to keep our communities safe.” Brown said. “These new federal resources will help ensure that Fostoria has the skilled responders and updated resources they need to safely do their jobs.”

This is round 18 of the competitive Fiscal Year 2013 AFG Program – Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) announcements. The Fostoria Fire Division was awarded $1,177,488 in funding.  

The Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program helps firefighters and other first responders improve their ability to protect the public and themselves.

The SAFER grant program supports the hiring of firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. SAFER grants are awarded directly to volunteer, combination, and career fire departments to help the departments increase the number of frontline firefighters. More information about the program can be found here. Interested fire departments can contact Brown’s Grant Coordinator to receive information about federal grant opportunities by clicking here.

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