Ogdensburg Fire Department receives $75,000 FEMA grant

OGDENSBURG — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a $75,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to the Ogdensburg Fire Department. Ogdensburg is one of 133 departments in New Jersey to be awarded this grant. The Ogdensburg Fire Department will use their grant for personal protective equipment. Nationally, the AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, ultimately provide approximately $560 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country. Chief Eric Slater never lost sight of the significance of this grant and had worked on three applications, officials said. He knew what an impact $75,000 could achieve in a small town department. He enlisted the help of his sister-in-law, Brandy Mora, who weaved together a successful application. AFG awards aim to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public with respect to fire and other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase or receive training, conduct first responder health and safety programs and buy equipment and response vehicles. “The Assistance to Firefighters Grants program has been instrumental in building capacity and providing needed resources for our nation’s firefighters,” said FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison. “From the purchase of equipment to first responder training, the AFG program has helped improve response capabilities and saved lives and property in communities throughout the United States.” Since 2002, AFG has provided over $3.6 billion in grants to fire departments and first responder organizations to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles and fire prevention activities.