Press Release:
U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 29 fire departments in Maine have received a total of $6,220,151 to upgrade equipment and support personnel. This funding was awarded through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grants and the FY 2020 Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants "Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect local residents, homes, and businesses," said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. "This important investment will help improve the safety of Maine firefighters and ensure that our fire departments have the equipment and training they need to continue to protect our families and communities." The funding was allocated as follows: · Albion, Waterville, Belgrade, China Village, Clinton, Fairfield-Benton, Madison, Oakland, South China, Winslow, and Sidney Fire Departments received a total of $627,385.45 to purchase mobile radios, portable radios, and pagers. · Biddeford Fire Department received $285,304 to purchase rapid intervention air packs and firefighter breathing apparatuses. · Easton Fire Department received $5,958 to purchase facepieces for firefighter breathing apparatuses and $335,238 to purchase a firefighting water tanker truck. · Georgetown Fire Department received $36,000 to purchase vehicle extrication equipment. · Gorham Fire Department received $93,333 to purchase vehicle exhaust removal systems. · Dixmont Fire Department received $39,893 to purchase firefighting turnout gear and a turnout gear washer unit. · Falmouth Fire Department received $315,622.86 to purchase firefighter breathing apparatus and an air compressor system. · Frenchville Fire Department received $51,716 to construct a fire house and purchase firefighting turnout gear. · Kennebunk Fire Department -- received $2,635,736.56 to hire 8 new fulltime firefighters and $20,262.86 to purchase vehicle extrication equipment. · Milford Fire Department received $95,238 to purchase a fire station fire sprinkler system. · Newfield Fire Department received $29,710 to purchase vehicle extrication equipment. · Van Buren Fire Department received $151,142 to purchase firefighter turnout gear and a breathing apparatus. · Waterville Fire Department received $338,181 to create a paramedic training program. · Yarmouth Fire Department received $47,143 to purchase vehicle extrication equipment. · Buxton Fire Department received $428,571 to purchase a Wildland Interface Firefighting Pumper. · Dedham Fire Department received $47,571 to purchase for mobile and portable radios. · Nobleboro Fire Department received $176,190 to purchase a firefighter breathing apparatus and an air compressor system. · North Lakes Fire Department received $323,809 to purchase a firefighting pumper engine. · Portland Fire Department received $40,909 for firefighter wellness and fitness. · Veazie Fire Department received $95,238 to purchase a fire station fire sprinkler system. As a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Senator Collins has been a longstanding advocate for Maine's first responders. She annually leads a bipartisan letter, signed by Senator King, to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging robust funding for FEMA's firefighter grant programs, which she helped create in 2003.
