Kelly: City of Sharon to receive nearly $1 million in federal public safety grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced the City of Sharon, Pennsylvania will receive nearly $1 million for two grants provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The City of Sharon's Fire Department/Fire District will receive $769,320.00 in support, and the city's Department of Operations and Safety will receive $199,285.71 in a separate grant. The funding is made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program via the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

"This is such a great use of federal funding because it will directly benefit the city and the people of Sharon and Mercer County overall," Kelly said. "We must do everything we can to assist our brave first responders and public safety leaders throughout our communities. This funding does just that. My staff and I are proud to continue a strong partnership between local governments and our federal agencies."

"We’re thankful to have the opportunity to receive the funding to provide the personal protective equipment to support our firefighters and the work that they do in protecting the city," said Bob Fiscus, City Manager and Fire Chief for the City Of Sharon. “As for the second grant we’re appreciative of receiving it and are researching how it can best be used in a collaborative partnership between the city and the firefighters union.’ The second grant is to increase firefighting staffing."

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program is to award 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. Using a competitive process that is informed by fire service subject-matter experts, grants are awarded to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the AFG Program.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program will make available $414 million directly to fire departments, State Fire Training Academies, and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel from fire and other related hazards. This program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.