Cartwright Announces $70,455 DHS Grant for Lehighton Ambulance Association

Scranton, PA – Today, Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded the Lehighton Ambulance Association with an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). The funds will be distributed via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The Lehighton Ambulance Association has been awarded a $70,455 Operations and Safety grant.  The funds will allow the association to purchase five (5) automatic (battery powered) chest compression devices. The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) devices will help first-responders improve their capability when responding to emergencies of all types.

“I am glad that the Lehighton Ambulance Association will be able to purchase this high-priority equipment,” Rep. Cartwright said, a member of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus. “I will continue to strongly support this federal program which helps to ensure the safety of our communities.”

The purpose of the AFG is to award competitive grants directly to fire departments and emergency medical service organizations to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel.  Since 2001, the AFG program has provided approximately $6.1 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles, and training.

The 2016 AFG Program will award approximately $310.5 million in competitive grants to fire departments, non-affiliated EMS organizations, and state fire training academies.