WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped pass the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act in the Senate, after it recently passed the House of Representatives. This bipartisan legislation, which now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law, reauthorizes key federal programs that provide funding to local fire departments and help them hire more firefighters. Senator Rosen has been a leading advocate in calling on Congress to pass this legislation. Last year, she helped advance the Fire Grants and Safety Act in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“Nevada’s firefighters risk their lives responding to emergencies to keep our communities safe. I’ve been working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation to provide our fire departments with the critical assistance and resources they need,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to help pass this bipartisan bill in the Senate and send it to the President’s desk to be signed into law so we can deliver the funding that our local fire departments need to hire more firefighters and purchase life-saving equipment.”
“I’m proud to have worked alongside Senator Rosen to get Congress to pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act, and I want to thank her for her commitment to getting this bill passed and signed into law,” said Fernando Gray Sr., Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Fire Chief. “This will bring critical funding to Nevada’s firefighters and allow us to hire additional firefighters, as well as provide us with equipment to be more effective in our life-saving efforts.”
“The Fire Grants and Safety Act will bring needed resources to the local fire departments who work every day to keep our communities safe,” said Reno Fire Chief David Cochran. “We thank Senator Rosen for helping to pass this bill to support our firefighters and our departments, and we’re thrilled to see that it will become law.”
“These grant programs will allow us to obtain needed protective, life-saving equipment and hire more firefighters, providing an increased ability for fire departments to respond to emergencies,” said Sean Slamon, Carson City Fire Department Chief. “We appreciate Senator Rosen’s work on behalf of Nevada firefighters and helping to see that this bill will become law, which will allow these critical programs to continue.”
The Fire Grants and Safety Act reauthorizes the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program, which help fund fire departments across the United States to purchase equipment and hire more firefighters. The legislation also increases the annual authorization for the U.S. Fire Administration by about $20 million while maintaining the authorized annual funding level for SAFER and AFG at $750 million.
Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for firefighters and first responders in Nevada. She helped introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently raise the overtime pay caps for wildland firefighters. Senator Rosen also helped deliver a historic pay raise and benefits funding for federal wildland firefighters through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
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