Baltimore Congressional Delegation Announces Almost $300,000 for the Baltimore City Fire Department

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Representatives Elijah E. Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger, and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced $298,345 in federal funding for the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD). The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, will be used to purchase new equipment for the Department and to support their Mobile Integrated Health/Community Paramedicine pilot program, a partnership between the BCFD and the University of Maryland Medical Center.

“Every day Baltimore City’s emergency responders provide life-saving services to residents across the city. Providing our first responders with the equipment they need is crucial to their ability to serve and protect our communities. This investment will go directly to equipping the Baltimore City Fire Department and will help them continue to achieve their life-saving mission,” said the Members. “Together, we will keep working to support our first responders and provide them with the resources they need to keep Marylanders safe.”

Federal funds are awarded through the AFG program, which provides grants directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations, and state fire training academies to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel. The Members worked to secure $350 million for the AFG program for Fiscal Year 2019 and continue to work towards robust funding for the program. The Maryland delegation is announcing over $2 million in funding for first responders throughout the state from the AFG program. 

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