Newport Fire Department Receives $343,224 Federal Grant to Upgrade Equipment

U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representative David Cicilline announced Tuesday a $343,224 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for the Newport Fire Department.

The grant money will be used to purchase new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus units for Newport firefighters.

Breathing apparatus units protect firefighters who face extreme heat, toxic gases, and low-oxygen levels when they combat flames and rescue residents from burning buildings.  Due to budget constraints, the Newport Fire Department’s planned replacement of its current, outdated, breathing apparatus units would have been a multiyear process. This grant money will allow the Newport Fire Department to immediately replace its old units with 48 new pieces of equipment. 

“Whether it is a house fire or any emergency, we want to ensure our firefighters have the equipment they need to get the job done.  This federal grant will help the Newport Fire Department upgrade their equipment and make it safer for firefighters to enter hazardous areas so they can better protect the public,” said Reed, who wrote a letter of support for this grant and holds an annual fire grant work shop to assist Rhode Island fire departments that are interested in applying for AFG grants.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect us from harm,” said Whitehouse, who wrote a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in support of the application. “This grant will help Newport firefighters get equipment they need to fight fires safely, and I am proud they won the grant.”

“It is critical that we provide first responders with access to the best available resources so they can carry out their responsibilities as safely and effectively as possible,” said Cicilline.  “I am pleased to join Senator Reed and Senator Whitehouse in announcing that the Newport Fire Department will receive more than $343,000 in new federal funds to help better serve families across Aquidneck Island.”

“The City of Newport and the Newport Fire Department are truly grateful to have had our 2012 Assistance to Firefighters Grant submission deemed worthy of approval. This award will enable the Newport Fire Department to complete its Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) replacement plan, and will provide relief for Newport taxpayers. On behalf of the Newport Fire Department and the City of Newport, I express our genuine thanks and appreciation to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for bestowing this award upon us and to the Rhode Island Congressional delegation for their support of our appeal,” said Fire Chief Peter Connerton. 

The AFG program awards grants through the DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel.  Strengthening the resources of local fire departments and emergency responders helps communities meet the challenges of fire related hazards.