Courtney Touts Federal Grant Funding to Support the Hiring of Firefighters in New London

(Washington, DC) - Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) touted a newly awarded federal grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA Region I for $283,625 that will support the hiring of two new firefighters in New London. The grant will need to be matched by funding from the City of New London.

"This grant funding is great news for the New London Fire Department and the entire community," said Courtney. "Not only does the New London Fire Department oversee one of the most densely populated municipalities in eastern Connecticut, it also supports the operations of departments in other local communities across our region through mutual-aid. I commend Mayor Michael Passero and retiring Fire Chief Henry Kydd, Jr. for working closely with my office during the grant application process. Their efforts were critical in helping to secure this award."

Michael Passero, Mayor of New London, said, "I am very pleased that New London has been awarded this critical grant funding through the federal SAFER program to support the hiring of new firefighters in our department. With the local housing market continuing to pick up steam, we need more firefighters on the front lines to meet the growing demands being placed on our department. Thank you to Congressman Courtney for once again supporting our grant application and for being a strong advocate on behalf of New London."

This funding is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grants program (SAFER). This program was created to channel federal grant funding directly to local fire departments and volunteer fire departments to support the hiring and training of new ‘front line' firefighters. The goal of the program is to assist local fire departments with meeting their staffing requirements and improving service for local communities. The SAFER program requires a 25% local match in the first two years and 65% match in the third and final year.

Additional Information

Last month, New London FD was awarded another AFG grant ($251,799) for operations and safety, protective gear including washers/dryers, and technical rescue training.