Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 23 fire departments and organizations in Maine have received a total of $3,311,791 to upgrade equipment and support personnel. This funding was awarded through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and the FY 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins champions annual funding for these grant programs within the budget of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect Maine residents, homes, and businesses,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This funding will allow Maine firefighters to acquire updated equipment so they have the best tools available to protect themselves as they serve our families and communities.”

The funding was allocated as follows:

• Bangor Fire Department received $273,021 for paramedic training

• Belgrade Fire Department received $104,905 to purchase firefighter breathing apparatus

• Boothbay Harbor Fire Department received $30,000 to purchase a vehicle exhaust removal system

• Casco Fire Rescue Department received $14,362 to purchase fit testers for firefighter breathing apparatus facepieces

• Clinton Fire Department received $62,527 to purchase a breathing air compressor and fill station

• Eddington Fire Department received $26,948 to purchase firefighting hose and equipment

• Falmouth Fire-EMS received $165,713 for firefighter training

• Gorham Fire Department received $84,000 to purchase vehicle exhaust removal systems

• Gray Fire Rescue received $18,321 to purchase a firefighter breathing air cylinder fill station. 

• Maine Fire Service Institute in South Portland received $108,609 for firefighter turnout gear, portable radios, training props and equipment.

• Med-Care Ambulance Service in Mexico received $82,739 to purchase portable radios and mobile repeaters.

• Oakland Fire and Rescue received $47,159 to purchase firefighter turnout gear and a turnout gear dryer

• Orono Fire Department received $36,010 to purchase a turnout gear washer and dryer and $733,956 to hire 3 firefighters

• Portland Fire Department received $200,409 to purchase a fire station sprinkler system and support a firefighter wellness program

• Sabattus Fire Department received $1,152,792 to hire four firefighters

• Scarborough Fire Department received $65,045 to support firefighter training

• Sanford Fire Department received $174,545 to support firefighter training

• Sedgwick Volunteer Fire Department received $40,000 to purchase firefighter breathing apparatus and a gear dryer

• Southwest Harbor-Tremont Ambulance Service received $32,381 to purchase power cots and a power lift system

• Sweden Volunteer Fire Department received $84,706 to purchase mobile and portable radios

• Van Buren Fire Department received $176,190 to purchase a brush truck

• Wesley Volunteer Fire Department received $36,171 to purchase vehicle extrication tools and $203,236 to purchase a brush truck

•  West Gardiner received $295,238 to purchase a pumper truck

As a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Senator Collins has been a longstanding advocate for Maine's first responders. She annually leads a bipartisan letter, signed by Senator King, to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging robust funding for FEMA’s firefighter grant programs, which she helped create.