Press Releases

Carbondale, PA- Today, Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-o8) announced a federal grant of nearly $29,000 for the city of Carbondale to meet its firefighting and emergency response needs.

The Carbondale Fire Department will receive a $28,738.09 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The funds will be distributed via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); they will be used to upgrade the fire department’s headquarters with a source-capture vehicle exhaust removal system, which will mitigate health risks from exposure to diesel engine exhaust.

“It’s important that we invest in our firefighters, and in the equipment and resources they need to keep families safe in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “I commend the folks at the Carbondale Fire Department for the incredible work they do.”

The purpose of FEMA’s AFG program is to award competitive grants directly to fire departments 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 over $7 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles, and training.