Larson, Hayes Announce $366,000 for the New Britain and West Hartford Fire Departments
West Hartford, CT – Yesterday, Reps. John B. Larson (CT-01) and Jahana Hayes (CT-05) announced $366,000 in new federal funding for the New Britain and West Hartford Fire Departments to support firefighter training initiatives and new technical rescue equipment.
“Collaboration and communication across neighboring communities enhances public safety by improving response times and ensuring coordinated action when an emergency arises,” said Larson. “Rep. Hayes and I are thrilled to announce funding we secured in Congress to support crucial training programs that will strengthen the West Hartford and New Britan Fire Departments’ abilities to serve their communities and the region safely and effectively.”
“The West Hartford Fire Department is very pleased to have secured this grant with our close mutual aid partner, the New Britain Fire Department. We are appreciative of the efforts of our respective personnel who had the vision to identify the opportunity, collect the data, and then collaboratively present a solid case to demonstrate how the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) could improve our technical rescue capabilities. We are lucky to be in a region that has tremendous growth, vibrancy, and development as well as to have the support from our Town and Federal officials. We are grateful for the funding but especially the recognition that effective and robust training is necessary to support preparedness and response. We look forward to working with all the stakeholders to avail ourselves of this opportunity to improve service to the communities of New Britain and West Hartford,” said West Hartford Fire Chief Greg H. Priest.
The New Britain Fire Department is thankful for the support our Congressional representatives, Congressman Larson and Congresswoman Hayes, have shown in helping us secure this funding by way of the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. We are excited to collaborate with The West Hartford Fire Department as a regional partner to better deliver services to our respective communities. We appreciate the unwavering support and confidence both Mayor Erin Stewart and Mayor Shari Cantor have put in our departments to work together in this endeavor,” said New Britain Fire Chief Raul Ortiz. “We hope to continue to foster great working relationships with our mutual aid partners and federal and municipal leadership.”
These funds were awarded through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to support collaborative efforts to address shared target hazards between the two Departments. Reps. Larson and Hayes helped secure this funding as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding package, committing $324 million directly to up to 2,000 fire departments across the nation to improve services and enhance firefighter safety.