April 21st, 2023 by WCBC Radio

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) voted to pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Fire Administration along with funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs for the next several years. These grant programs provide funding directly to fire departments to purchase essential equipment, hire more trained frontline firefighters, develop training and education programs, and more. Together, these programs have delivered over $150 million to support the needs of local fire departments and agencies across Maryland since 2015. Following the passage of the Fire Grants and Safety Act in the Senate, the legislation must now be considered in the U.S. House. The AFG and SAFER programs will lapse in September 2024 if the House does not vote to send the bill to President Biden’s desk before then.