Warwick Fire Department Receives $683k to Buy New Rescue Truck

Press Release

In an effort to bolster Rhode Island's emergency response capabilities, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representative Jim Langevin today announced that the Warwick Fire Department will receive a $683,451 federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to purchase a new aerial ladder truck. The new truck would replace a 23-year-old vehicle which was often placed out of service due to repairs.

"The truck is the most important and expensive piece of equipment in a fire station and this federal assistance will ensure Warwick is better equipped for emergencies. The new truck will enhance safety for both firefighters and residents. This was a competitive process, and I want to congratulate the chief and his fellow firefighters for working so hard on this federal grant. AFG funding has helped fire departments across Rhode Island maintain equipment and staffing in the face of very difficult budgets," said Reed, who for over a decade has hosted an annual workshop to assist Rhode Island fire departments that are interested in applying for competitive AFG grants. Reed's workshops have helped Rhode Island fire departments secure more than 170 awards totaling over $28 million throughout the state.

"Our firefighters often take risks to protect us and keep our families and neighborhoods safe," said Senator Whitehouse. "This federal funding will allow the Warwick fire department to purchase a new ladder truck, helping them to effectively respond to emergencies."

"Our first responders have made an extraordinary commitment to serving their communities," said Langevin, who wrote a letter of support for this grant. "We owe them not only our gratitude, but also the tangible support they need to carry out their missions. I continue to offer any assistance I can to Chief Armstrong, who truly demonstrates an undying loyalty to his crew and the people they serve."

"The City is very grateful to our Congressional delegation for their strong support of our grant application," said Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. "These funds will allow us to replace a 23-year-old aerial ladder truck, which was frequently out of service for costly repairs, with a fully-equipped, modern, dependable vehicle. The new truck will assure a full fleet of aerial ladder trucks on the road - something that's especially important for the safety and wellbeing of residents throughout Rhode Island, since the City of Warwick has the only permanently staffed, non cross-manned ladder company from Warwick south to the Connecticut border."

"The Warwick firefighters would like to thank Mayor Avedisian and the congressional delegation for their support during our grant application process. The Warwick Fire Department has received two grants over the past four months due to the excellent work of the grant writing committee, which consists of Pvt Scott Jensen, Lieutenant Jason Erban and Pvt, Christopher Albro. For the City of Warwick Fire Department to receive eighty percent of the cost of a new ladder truck through this grant, the citizens of Warwick are not burdened with the total cost," said Warwick Fire Chief Edmund Armstrong.

The AFG program awards one-year grants through the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to local fire departments and emergency responders, enhancing their ability to respond to emergencies. This program supports local departments by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel.

Reed, Whitehouse, and Langevin fought to provide more than $404 million for the AFG program this year.

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