Resources will help fire departments upgrade equipment, purchase new vehicles, train firefighters, and more
Augusta, Ga. — Fire safety upgrades are coming to Augusta-Richmond County and Twin City thanks to U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock.
Sens. Ossoff and Warnock are delivering new resources through the Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, which provides funding to upgrade equipment, upgrade or purchase new vehicles, train firefighters, and more.
The Augusta-Richmond County Government will receive $788,735 in funding, which the Fire Department says they plan to use to conduct cancer screenings for firefighters and to purchase and install LUCAS devices in front-line vehicles to assist with emergency CPR response.
The City of Twin City will receive $427,619 in funding, which the city says they will use to purchase a new fire truck.
Sens. Ossoff and Warnock secured resources for the AFG program with bipartisan support through last year’s government funding package.
“Firefighters in Augusta-Richmond County, Twin City, and across Georgia put their lives on the line to keep families safe,” Sen. Ossoff said. “Senator Warnock and I will never stop championing Georgia’s heroic fire departments, and these resources will help them respond to emergencies that threaten lives and property.”
“Our firefighters are some of the best among us. They run into danger to preserve our safety, and they are beacons of courage and resilience in every corner of Georgia. That is why I am honored to join Senator Ossoff in announcing these new investments in public safety for fire departments across the state,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“Senator Ossoff and I will continue working to secure additional investments so these brave public servants are able to protect and serve to the fullest of their abilities.”
“This grant will provide critically needed resources to our fire department and enable them to continue working to keep our community safe,” said Augusta Mayor Garnett L. Johnson. “More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year, and CPR can double or triple an individual’s chance of survival. The LUCAS devices that will be purchased with grant funds, and installed in our front-line vehicles, will ensure consistent and effective CPR and enhance delivery of life saving interventions. The cancer screenings for our firefighters that are also funded by this grant will allow us look out for the safety of those that keep our community safe. I am thankful for Senator Ossoff and Chief Burden’s efforts to secure this funding for Augusta-Richmond County.”
“The City of Twin City is excited about our latest grant award to add a new fire truck to Twin City. With this new truck, we feel we can lower our ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating. With a lower ISO rating, this could lower the home insurance premiums for all of our citizens and those within a 5-mile radius of Twin City,” said Twin City Mayor Matt W. Donaldson. “We are thankful to Senators Ossoff and Warnock for their support. Without their support of this grant, we would never be able to afford a new fire truck to improve our fire services to better protect our citizens.”
“The Augusta Fire Department is propelled by the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) as a vital flame of support in the blazing heart of service. This substantial grant of $867,608.28 fuels our mission, igniting the resources we need to safeguard our community’s well-being. With gratitude and determination, we fan these flames of assistance, illuminating our path towards enhanced readiness and resilience. In partnership with the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, we forge an unbreakable bond, ensuring that our commitment to safeguarding lives and property burns brighter than ever,” said Chief Antonio Burden, Fire Chief and EMA Director of the Augusta Fire Department.
