WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will begin accepting applications for grant funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program on Tuesday, December 26 at 8:00am. The application period will close Friday, February 2, 2018 at 5:00pm. This year, Maine applicants received more than $2.3 million in grants ranging from $10,000 to $349,143 in FY16 funds.

“The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program provides invaluable support to the firefighters and emergency health professionals who risk their lives protecting us every day,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We encourage Maine fire departments and emergency organizations to apply for funding through this program to help obtain the vital resources they need to do their jobs and keep our communities safe.”

The AFG Program funding assists fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations in improving their emergency response capabilities. The program provides federal funding that enables these organizations to purchase equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources to better protect emergency personnel and the communities they serve.

Senator Collins serves as the Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Senator King is a member of the Caucus.

Grant guidance for fire departments and other organizations interested in applying for AFG grants can be found HERE and the AFG Get Ready Guide can be found HERE. Applicants that require assistance should contact the AFG Help Desk by email at firegrants@fema.dhs.gov or by calling 1-866-274-0960.