Washington, DC – The Warwick Fire Department has been awarded $414,620 in federal funds to purchase new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA) for the entire station, a new filing station, and related equipment. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse wrote a letter in July to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supporting the grant request. The upgrades will bring the Warwick Fire Department into compliance with current national standards.
“Our firefighters are the invaluable first line of protection for our lives and our property, but strained state and local budgets have left many of our firehouses in disrepair. This grant will provide much-needed support to keep our essential public services operational,” Whitehouse said today.
This funding would also allow the Warwick Fire Department to implement an aggressive training and air management program in accordance with NFPA standards 1401 and 1500. The department has been unable to upgrade its outdated SCBA as a result of financial constraints.
The grant was supported by the RI congressional delegation, and was awarded through the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program.
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