WASHINGTON, DC – June 16, 2016 – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that the Lawrence Fire Department has been awarded federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) program.
The Lawrence Fire Department will receive $500,000 to purchase a new pumper engine.
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas, Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera, Fire Chief Brian Moriarty and other officials will formally announce the grant at an event tomorrow, Friday, June 17, 2016 at 2:00pm, at the Lawrence Central Fire Station, 65 Lowell Street, Lawrence, MA. Media is encouraged to attend.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, along with the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, are the two main federal programs supporting local fire departments by helping them support staff, buy equipment and provide adequate training.
Senator Elizabeth Warren said: "Lawrence’s firefighters work day in and day out to keep our community safe, and I'm very glad this federal funding will help the Fire Department get a new truck. Chief Moriarty and Mayor Rivera deserve credit for their efforts to secure this funding, and I'm happy to support their work down in Washington."
Senator Edward J. Markey said: "Thanks to this federal grant the Lawrence Fire Department will have the resources it needs to keep its neighborhoods safe and secure. Supporting our fire departments who are on the front lines of protecting our cities and towns is our priority, and I applaud Chief Moriarty and local officials for their leadership securing this vital funding.”
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas said: “Ensuring that Lawrence’s firefighters have up-to-date equipment is critical to their mission to protect our citizens given the wide range of situations in which Lawrence firefighters may find themselves involved. Replacing old equipment will allow the City’s firefighters to respond to incidents with the security that they have the best tools available. The Lawrence Fire Department received these needed federal funds through a competitive grant process, which speaks to both the quality of their application and the Department in general. Given the constraints on state and local budgets, competitive grant funds such as these help to maintain public safety in our communities and provide first responders with access to the resources they need to save lives. Our volunteer and career firefighters sacrifice a great deal to protect our communities and it is our duty to provide them with the equipment, staffing and training they need to keep their departments running safely and efficiently.”
Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said: “First and foremost I want to thank Congresswoman Tsongas and our State Delegation for their constant support and efforts to bring dollars into Lawrence for Public Safety. This new apparatus is crucial for our Fire Department to run efficiently. We look forward to seeing another truck on our streets that will improve response time and make Lawrence safer.”
Lawrence FD Chief Brian Moriarty said: “This is a great boost to our community’s ability to protect the public. We are very grateful for the Congresswoman’s work and all the Delegation involved. We have a very tired fleet and this will greatly improve safety.”
