Mount Prospect, IL–(ENEWSPF)–August 28, 2015. Today, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Senator Dick Durbin applauded the Mount Prospect Fire Department for receiving a grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program totaling over $1.3 million dollars. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), under the Department of Homeland Security, administers the grant program together with the U.S. Fire Administration.
This grant is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and will support the hiring and recruitment of firefighters as well as the retention of volunteer firefighters. Congresswoman Duckworth, Congresswoman Schakowsky and Senator Durbin each provided a letter of support for Mount Prospect Fire Department in this process.
“This grant provides a continuum of support for emergency responders and will enhance the overall health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel in the Village of Mount Prospect and the surrounding neighborhoods,” Duckworth said. “Our first responders are on the front lines of crises and disasters and I am pleased they are receiving funds to support their life saving work.”
“Residents in Mount Prospect and surrounding areas depend on emergency responders to keep them safe,” Schakowsky said. “Our community, and the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us, deserve all the resources necessary to uphold the highest standards of public safety. I am very thankful that FEMA has awarded these funds to the Village of Mount Prospect, empowering the village to continue its great work.”
“The federal SAFER Grant Program helps ensure that when fires or other emergencies occur, firefighters and first-responders stand ready to protect the communities they bravely serve,” Senator Durbin said. “This funding will help in that effort by supporting the Mount Prospect Fire Department’s efforts to recruit, hire, and train new firefighters.”
“We are confident that accepting the grant at this time makes sense, in terms of increasing the efficiency of Mount Prospect’s emergency response and that of the entire mutual aid network,” said Mayor Arlene Juracek, of Mount Prospect. “We believe we are in a more fiscally sound position, despite the State’s financial distress, than the last time we were offered the grant, to enable the retention of the increased staffing after the grant runs out.”
“I appreciate the support from Mayor Juracek and the Village Trustees,” Mount Prospect Fire Chief John Malcom said. “This grant will restore our staffing levels to enable us to place Engine 13 back in service and provide increased protection to our residents and our firefighters. I also want to thank Congresswoman Duckworth, Congresswoman Schakowsky and Senator Durbin for their support of this grant.”
Source: www.duckworth.house.gov
