Pascrell Announces $10K Federal Grant for Secaucus Firefighters

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, announced that the Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $10,186 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to the Secaucus Fire Department. Established through Rep. Pascrell’s FIRE Act, the AFG program provides direct support to eligible fire departments to help them meet the demanding and ever-evolving nature of their work. With Rep. Pascrell’s support, the Secaucus Fire Department will now use these funds to purchase updated gas monitoring equipment for its firefighters.

“Situated in a primary transportation hub and only minutes from Manhattan, Secaucus’ firefighters must have top-notch equipment and training as they continue to keep our communities safe,” said Rep. Pascrell, author of the FIRE Act which created this grant program. “We worked for years to secure federal funding for a state-of-the-art firefighting boat for Secaucus and just a few weeks ago, we celebrated the successful culmination of that fight. Today’s grant follows a common theme: as the dangers of the job evolve, so too must training and equipment our firefighters have. In the end, technologies like gas monitoring apparatuses will save lives. I’m proud to work in Washington for the brave first responders in Secaucus and all throughout our great state.”

“This grant money is extremely important to our firefighters’ work in Secaucus,” said Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli. “I want to thank Congressman Pascrell for fighting on behalf of firefighters in Washington.”

Today’s grant announcement by Rep. Pascrell comes on the heels of a $607,658 grant he helped secure for the Englewood Fire Department, a $67,400 grant he helped win for the Lyndhurst Fire Department, and a $272,380 grant he helped gain for the Leonia Fire Department.

Last month, Rep. Pascrell also worked to secure a $289,450 federal grant for the Paterson Fire Department. In 2018, he celebrated the signing into law of his Firefighter Cancer Registry Act (H.R. 931), which established a national cancer registry for firefighters diagnosed with the deadly disease. Rep. Pascrell and Sen. Menendez first introduced of the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act in May 2016 during a news conference at Clifton Fire Station 5, where they were joined by dozens of firefighters, including retired Haddon Heights Fire Chief Gene Dannenfelster, who since lost his battle with cancer. H.R.931 was introduced in the 115th Congress on February 17, 2017.

Rep. Pascrell was a main author in the House of Representatives of the SAFER Act, which became law in 2003, and the FIRE (Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement) Act which makes grants to local fire departments. Combined, they have provided billions of dollars in funding for fire departments across the country for staffing, equipment, and training needs.

Congress created these grant programs to help address the significant staffing, equipment, training, and health and safety needs of fire departments across the United States. The SAFER grant program provides funding to cover the costs associated with hiring personnel to maintain safe staffing levels. When Rep. Pascrell introduced the FIRE Act in 1999, it was the first comprehensive legislation dedicated to meet the special needs of America’s 32,000 volunteer, paid, and part-paid fire departments.

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