An article from the Associated Press outlines DHS firefighter assistance grants for Evergreen Park and Western Springs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says two fire departments in the Chicago area will get nearly $180,000 in grants.

The funding comes through a firefighters assistance grant from the Department of Homeland Security and is to be used to strengthen the level of preparedness and ability to respond to fires.

The awardees are the Evergreen Park Fire Department, which will get about $147,000 and Western Springs Department of Fire and EMS, which will get about $32,000.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced the grants Wednesday.

He says firefighters are called upon each day to protect citizens and they need the best tool possible to do their jobs. He says the grants will help reach that goal.

In the 2010 fiscal year, the program awarded nearly $400 million nationwide.

 

Tags: DHS Firefighter Assistance Grant, Evergreen Fire Department, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, FEMA grant award, Western Springs Fire Department