Baucus, Tester announce more than $200,000 for Montana fire departments

Homeland Security grants will go to Anaconda, Butte, De Borgia, Culbertson

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Four fire departments across Montana will receive $200,000 in grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Montana Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced Monday.

The money comes from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program.  The AFG Program regularly awards grants to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations across the country to help those agencies purchase equipment, vehicles, protective gear and training programs.

The grants awarded to Montana fire departments this week will go to:

• Anaconda Fire Department: $9,120
• Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department: $23,685
• Culbertson Volunteer Fire Department: $118,750
• De Borgia West End Fire District: $49,663

All four fire departments applied for the grants last spring.

"Our fire departments help keep us safe and we owe them the best equipment possible," Baucus said. "This is much-deserved federal funding for these fire departments, it will allow them to get the job done, protecting homes and businesses and get home safely to their families."

"Well-equipped firefighters are such a key component of all of our communities, whether in a rural town or a bigger city," Tester said. "I always push the Department of Homeland Security to boost funding for Montana's firefighters because it goes a long way in ensuring they have the resources they need to do their jobs."

The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Grants and Training has administered the AFG Program with help from the U.S. Fire Administration since 2001.  Congress has authorized funding for the program through 2010.