The Department of Homeland Security announced the first and second rounds of the Fiscal Year 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP) awarding 2,694 grants to fire departments throughout the United States.

In time the AFGP will issue approximately 5,500 awards worth nearly $600 million in direct assistance to firefighters and first responders throughout the country, demonstrating Homeland Security's commitment to ensuring that America's firefighters have the resources they need to protect their communities.

"We recognize the importance of the Fire Act Grants to our nation's fire departments and we will continue to work closely with the fire service community to meet their needs," added Matt A. Mayer, Acting Executive Director of the Office for State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness (SLGCP).

This first round of fire grants provided $205,360,839 to help 2,040local fire departments and emergency medical services programs to purchase or receive training, first responder health and safety programs, equipment and response vehicles. The second round of fire grants provided $77,263,366 to help another 654 local fire departments.

"The Assistance to Firefighters grants represent a major effort by the federal government to ensure the nation's firefighters continue to have the basic capability they require to do their jobs, improve safety and save lives," said David Paulison, Administrator of the Department of Homeland Security's United States Fire Administration.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the Department's Office for State and Local Government Coordination & Preparedness (SLGCP) in cooperation with the United States Fire Administration.

SLGCP is 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, SLGCP administers a number of programs that provide a wide array of support to our nation's emergency preparedness and response community. For more information on SLGCP, please visit the Website at www.ojp.gov/odp.

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. For more information on USFA, please visit the Website at http://www.usfa.fema.gov.

To view the latest round of award annoucements, please visit: http://www.firegrantsupport.com/awards