Larson Announces Federal Grant to City of Bristol
Bristol, CT – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) announced that the City of Bristol will be receiving a $139,797 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Department of Homeland Security. The grant will help fund the second phase of the Bristol's Fire Officer and Fire Instructor Training Program.
From left to right: Bristol Councilwoman Mary Fortier, Retired Fire Captain Tony Benvenuto, Bristol State Rep. Chris Ziogas, Max Carvo (President of the local union IAAF Local 773), Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, Rep. John B. Larson, Bristol Fire Chief Mark Flynn, Peter S. Carozza (President of Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut), and members of the Bristol Fire Department.
"During this pandemic our firefighters have been among our heroes on the frontlines protecting our communities. I am proud to have helped secure funding for the Bristol Fire Department that will allow firefighters to advance in their training. Today's grant will allow the department to prepare upcoming firefighters for future leadership roles and ensure they have the tools they need to professionally respond to emergencies. During this time especially our firefighters deserve all the support possible and I am proud to be a strong advocate for our first responders and the programs that support them. I congratulate Mayor Zoppo-Sassu and the Fire Department for receiving this award," said Larson.
Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu noted that the AFG grant came at the right time. "In the next 2 years, the Fire Department will see over a dozen retirements of officers and line firefighters. This grant will allow us to train the upcoming officers so they are ready to take on the new leadership roles."
"We are grateful to have been awarded the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the second year in a row," said Fire Chief Mark Flynn. "The grant funding will allow our Officers to complete the next phase of training to ensure they have the tools they need to professionally respond to emergencies. I would like to thank Retired Chief Jay Kolakoski and all who were involved for their hard work securing these grants."