Press Releases

U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons along with U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.) announced a $194,105 grant award to the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company to help support its safety and operations.  The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) will go toward the purchase of portable and mobile radio equipment as well as washers and dryers for the fire company’s gear. This equipment will help the fire company communicate across all scenarios, keep up with new state regulations, and have a more clean and efficient working space.

“When an emergency occurs, firefighters are often the first to respond and arrive at the scene. They remain vigilant at all hours of the day in order to respond promptly to an emergency situation in our communities,” said Senator Carper, co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus and member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.  “They risk their lives to keep us safe.  We owe it to our firefighters to provide them with the necessary equipment to help ensure they are able to communicate during emergencies.”

“Every day the brave men and women in our fire departments put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe and the least we can do to thank them for their work is to provide them with the resources and training they need to properly carry out their dangerous missions,” said Sen. Coons. “Our nation relies on our local fire fighters to be first responders to national emergencies, including natural disasters and acts of terrorism, and we owe them the support that they need to fill this role.”

“We have seen time and again the remarkable bravery of our first responders and firefighters here in Delaware. Each day they go to work, they put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities and fellow citizens,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “In return for their sacrifice, it is our responsibility to ensure they have the equipment necessary to do their job effectively and safely.”

The AFG program strengthens the nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and other hazards. The program is funded by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, and it attempts to further the training, expand the resources, and enhance the response capabilities of firefighters and unaffiliated EMS organizations. The funding provided from this grant is primarily directed to the health and safety of the public and the firefighters and other responders with respect to fire and other hazards. 

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