SOLEDAD — The City of Soledad has received an $88,444 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration to help improve the local fire department’s facilities and equipment.
The award is made under the Fiscal Year 2016 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, which awards grants directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and state fire training academies to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public as well as that of first-responder personnel.
“The AFG program is a vital part of our ongoing efforts to continuously improve our equipment and facilities to meet the emergencies our firefighters and community face every day,” Chief John Owens said. “Obtaining this Assistance to Firefighters Grant will immediately improve the health and safety of our firefighters so the fire department can keep providing the citizens of Soledad with the high level of service they expect and deserve.”
The AFG Program of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is a component of the larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and related hazards.
Since Fiscal Year 2001, the AFG Program has provided about $6.7 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles and training.
“Firefighters and first-responders on the Central Coast work hard every day to protect our families, so we need to provide them with the best resources available,” said Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.). “I congratulate Chief John Owens and the City of Soledad on receiving this grant.”
In a city news release, Soledad Mayor Fred Ledesma thanked Congressman Panetta and FEMA for their involvement in the city obtaining the grant.
“On behalf of the City of Soledad, I would like to thank Congressman Panetta and the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” Ledesma said. “These dollars will go towards further assisting us in our continuous pursuit of providing the highest level of service to our residents.”
