By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D) from Alabama announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is awarding a grant of $81,000 to the Bessemer Fire Department through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The grant will be used for fire fighter education and training.
Representative Sewell said, “I am pleased that the Bessemer Fire Department will receive this grant. Fire fighters play a critical role in keeping our communities safe, and this grant program will give the Bessemer Fire Department the resources they desperately need to ensure that our communities are safe and secure.”
Bessemer Fire Department Chief Paul Syx said, “We are overjoyed to be receiving this grant that will greatly benefit our fire department. This funding will go a long way in help improve the health and safety of our firefighters.”
According to the written statement from Sewell’s office the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security is an integral part of the national effort to strengthen overall preparedness and respond to related hazards.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program provides funds for the purchase of emergency response equipment, personal safety equipment, training, firefighting trucks and emergency vehicles in order to enhance the capacity of local fire departments to protect the health and safety of the public.
The awards are made on a competitive basis.
Congresswoman Terri Sewell represents Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. She was recently elected to her second term in the U.S. Congress.
