Nine Bucks fire companies, rescue squads receive FEMA grants

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided grants to nine Bucks County fire companies and rescue squads to assist with recruitment and retention of firefighters and for safety needs, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's office has announced.

The Bristol Third District Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 received a grant for $357,480 and the Newportville Fire Co. received $200.000 from the 2019 Stafffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.. Both are in Bristol Township.

In Bensalem, the Nottingham Fire Co. received 209,600 and the Union Fire Co., Station 37, received a grant for $100,000 from the 2019 SAFER grant program.

To enhance the safety measures benefiting both the public and first responders, the Union Fire Co. in Bensalem received $57,143 and the Chalfont Fire Co. No. 1 received $198,894 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program in fiscal year 2019.

In fiscal 2020, to help fight the COVID-19 crisis, supplemental AFG grants were awarded to the Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Unit, $233,515; the New Hope Eagle Fire Co., $10,714;  the Bristol Fire Co., $7,457 and the Levittown-Fairless Hills Rescue Squad, $13,289.  

"Since the outbreak of COVID-19, volunteer fire departments across my community have struggled with fundraising and balancing their budgets," Fitzpatrick said. "Our volunteer departments have been facing immense budgetary and manpower challenges that predated COVID-19. Now, these departments are tasked with the extremely consequential mission of protecting lives and protecting property with one hand tied behind their back. It is imperative that we give  the necessary supplies and tools to our volunteer responders to ensure that when we call 911, they can do their job."

The mission of the SAFER program is to allow the recipient fire companies to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and to better ensure that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.  FEMA is awarding $350 million to fire companies across the United States to expand the number of firefighters available.

Ken Hopkins Jr., chief of the Union Fire Co. said the SAFER funding it received will help it pay firefighters to attend the 200 hours of training they need to receive Firefighter 1 certification including training in dealng with hazardous materials.   He said that the company will receive 10 applications from people wanting to join but as soon as they hear about the training required, the applicants may drop to two. With the funds to pay the recruits to attend the training, more may turn out, he said. With the township paying $500 as an incentive and the FEMA grant providing another $500, he's hoping it will help with recruitment.  "We're hoping we can reel in some people," he said. 

The AFG program is designed to enhance the ability of fire departments, emergency medical services and fire training academies to protect the health and safety of the public as well as first responders. It is awarding $315 million across the country for these efforts in fiscal year 2019. 

Fitzpatrick said some of the funding is provided through the CARES Act to address COVID-19 needs.  He said the funding was "critical to the success of our hero first responders in keeping themselves safe while on duty."

Fitzpatrick spokesman Will Kiley said some of the awards are based on 2019’s budget because that is when the application process for the grants began. FEMA just recently began announcing the grant awards.