Washington, D.C. - United States Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today announced the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to award a $52,323.00 grant to the Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. as part of the sixth round of the Fiscal Year 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
The grants provide money to help local fire departments fund the purchase of firefighting equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire education and prevention programs. The Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the Department's Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) in cooperation with the Department's United States Fire Administration.
“I am pleased to make this announcement,” said Van Hollen. "This grant will help ensure that the Chillum-Adelphi firefighters continue to have the resources they need to do their jobs, improve safety and save lives."
On March 1, 2003, the Office for Domestic Preparedness became a part of the Department of Homeland Security. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296) designated ODP as the principal Federal agency responsible for the preparedness of the United States for acts of terrorism, including coordinating preparedness efforts at the Federal level, and working with all
State, local, tribal, parish, and private sector emergency response providers on all matters pertaining to combating terrorism, including training, exercises and equipment support. To support this mission, ODP administers a number of programs that provide a wide-array of support to our nation's emergency preparedness and response community.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security. The mission of the USFA is to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies, through leadership, advocacy, coordination, and support.