Stabenow, Levin Announce Fire Prevention Grant for Olivet Fire Department

The Olivet Fire Department will receive a federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security to help increase public safety through fire prevention activities, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today.

The department will receive $19,000 from the Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security.

"Today's announcement is great news for the Olivet Fire Department and families in Eaton County," said Stabenow. "Our first responders risk their lives to keep our families safe, and they rely on these resources to do their jobs safely."

"Firefighters not only fight fires, they work to prevent fires in the first place," said Levin. "This grant will help the Olivet Fire Department carry out its vital mission of protecting lives and property in their community by focusing on activities that will help prevent fires."

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program allows fire departments across the country to compete for federal grant money in several categories. The award announced today is from the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant program, which helps local fire departments enhance public safety through activities such as fire prevention education and awareness, code enforcement, and fire and arson investigation. Some examples of education and awareness programs would include smoke alarm installations and home safety inspections; code enforcement programs would include increasing awareness of building codes; fire and arson investigations would include support to help fire departments investigate every fire.

More information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program can be found at www.fema.gov/firegrants.