Stabenow, Levin Announce Grants for Utica and Bloomfield Township Fire Departments

The fire departments in Bloomfield Township and Utica will each receive a federal grant to help improve their operations and boost safety in their communities, U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin announced today.

Utica Fire Department will receive $46,550 and Bloomfield Township Fire Department will receive $121,232 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"Across Southeast Michigan, our firefighters provide courageous service to communities like the City of Utica and Bloomfield Township," Stabenow said. "These grants help make sure they have the resources they need to perform their duties safely and protect the public."

"Firefighters and emergency medical personnel stand ready every day to respond to fires and other emergencies," Levin said. "These grants will help the fire departments in Utica and Bloomfield Township carry out their vital mission of protecting lives and property in their communities."

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 Operations and Safety program, which helps local fire departments improve operations and safety by providing firefighter training or personal protective equipment, modifying existing facilities or buying supplies. Applications are evaluated in a competitive process by a panel of peers from fire and EMS organizations.

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