Making the County SAFER: Fire and Rescue Wins $2.2 Million in Federal Grants

For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 14, 2017

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) has been awarded four grants totaling more than $2.2 million. These grants are made through possible two FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) programs.

Two grants are provided through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program:

• $ 1,452,842 to support hiring 10 additional firefighters which will fulfill the foal of four-person staffing for all 35 paramedic engine companies. This is the third staffing grant in the past 10 years.
• $ 530,000 to the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association for volunteer recruitment, tuition assistance and to support the high school cadet program. The cadet program is a partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to recruit, train, and immerse MCPS students in the MCFRS volunteer system. This the fifth recruitment and retention grant since 2007.

“MCFRS provides innovative, high-quality community service,” said Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. “They ensure the highest value for tax dollars through fire-prevention, safety, education, and training to create safe streets and secure neighborhoods.  These grants will expand the capabilities tax funding has supported and to provide exemplary service to which we have grown accustomed.”

Two grants are provided through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to support training, as well as operations and safety:

• Approximately $135,000, for training, was awarded for the purchase of a mobile “flashover” simulator, which enables MCFRS to conduct actual fire training exercises with recruits and firefighters in a safe, controlled and training environment.
• More than $110,000 for operations and safety to support the purchase of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and the deployment of personnel to provide staffing to MCFRS Home Safety Check program and senior-based outreach initiatives and smoke alarm installations.

“These grants will allow MCFRS to expand critical paramedic service while providing much needed support infrastructure to recruit and train personnel and provide impactful community outreach support,” said County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein.

MCFRS is a full-spectrum, life-safety agency providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, heavy rescue, urban search and rescue, code enforcement, arson investigation and public education programs.   The services provided by this department make the MCFRS a world-class fire department responding to more than 120,000 incidents per year making our 37 fire and rescue stations, and more than 2,700 career employees and volunteers some of the busiest in the nation.

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Release ID: 17-439
Media Contact: Public Information Office 240-777-6507