Van Hollen, Cardin, Sarbanes Announce Over $103,000 for the Annapolis Fire Department

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) announced $103,964 in federal funding for the Annapolis Fire Department. The funding, awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, will be used to purchase seven automated chest compression units. Chest compression units, which administer chest compressions in place of manual CPR, are a critical tool for first responders assisting a patient experiencing cardiac arrest – these units improve outcomes for patients and allow medical personnel to perform other life-saving duties.

“Providing our first responders with the equipment they need is crucial to their ability to serve and protect our communities and this investment will help the Annapolis Fire Department achieve their life-saving mission,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committees. “I will keep working to support our first responders and provide them with the resources they need to keep Marylanders safe.”

“The availability of the best tools for our first responders is a matter of life and death – for them and for the people they regularly save from harm. The AFG program provides critical federal resources for improvements that local fire departments and EMS organizations would not be able to afford on their own. I will continue to fight for public safety investments for Annapolis and communities throughout Maryland,” said Senator Cardin.

“This new federal funding for the Annapolis Fire Department is an important investment in the health and safety of Annapolis residents,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Providing the Annapolis Fire Department with advanced CPR technology will help our first responders save lives and better serve the greater Annapolis community.”

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 $656,000 in funding for first responders throughout the state from the AFG program. 

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