Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $982,033 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the Saint Joseph, Monongah and Folsom Volunteer Fire Departments. The funding is made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and will provide critical resources to the fire departments to equip and train emergency personnel, improve efficiency and promote public safety.

“Our brave West Virginia firefighters risk their lives every day to protect our communities, and we must ensure they have the necessary equipment and resources to do their jobs safely and effectively. I’m pleased FEMA is investing nearly $1 million to strengthen fire safety in Saint Joseph, Monongah and Folsom,” said Senator Manchin. “These investments will bolster our emergency preparedness across our great state and I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of the funding. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to support our firefighters as they work tirelessly to protect West Virginians.”

The AFG Program is one of three grant programs under DHS and FEMA that focuses on enhancing firefighter safety and public safety as they relate to fire hazards. Since FY 2001, the AFG Program has awarded approximately $8.1 billion in grants to provide critically-needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability and support community resilience.

Individual awards listed below:

• $681,767 – Saint Joseph Volunteer Fire Department
• $209,682 – Monongah Volunteer Fire Department
• $90,584 – Folsom Volunteer Fire Department