|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
|
State
Rep. Gary Haluska |
|
Federal stimulus money available for local fire station construction
HARRISBURG, June 30 – Area fire departments that are considering or in the process of constructing new fire stations or modifying existing stations still have time to apply for a portion of $210 million in federal stimulus funding that is available for fire station construction projects, according to state Rep. Gary Haluska, D-Cambria.
Haluska urged local fire departments to apply for the funding before the July 10 deadline.
Haluska said the Fire Station Construction Grant Program is available as part of the federal stimulus package. Under the program, fire departments are eligible to receive a maximum grant of $15 million for the construction of new or to modify existing fire stations. The grants are being awarded on a competitive basis. There is no limit to how many construction or modification projects a fire department can include in its application, as long as no one project exceeds $5 million and the total cost of all the department's construction projects does not exceed $15 million.
"The purpose of this grant program is to help fire departments improve firefighter safety and reduce emergency response times," Haluska said. "Funding is always a huge concern for fire departments in Pennsylvania, both paid and volunteer. For departments that qualify for this particular program, obtaining a grant could be a significant step forward in funding a construction project and improving fire safety and response in the community."
Haluska said more information about the grant program, along with a grant tutorial and online application, is available at this Web site: http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afscg.
The deadline for completed applications to be received by the Federal Emergency Management Agency is 5 p.m. Friday, July 10.
###