Media Advisory – Vestavia Hills Fire Department Receives DHS Grant

For Immediate Release

Vestavia Hills, AL – The Office of Congressman Gary Palmer announces that a $160,740 grant has been awarded to VHFD by the Department of Homeland Security through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG). The department's application competed against thousands through a peer review process for a portion of federal funding.

"The men and women at VHFD put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of the members of their community," said Palmer. "While this request predates my time in office, it is appropriate that public officials in Alabama work together with our fire departments like Vestavia Hills in an effort to support their good work."

The grant will be used for equipment designed specifically for wild land firefighting. The VHFD responded to numerous wild land incidents in 2014 which challenged the department's capabilities and showed the need for improvement. This equipment, combined with additional training which has already been conducted, will better prepare VHFD to serve our community.

Funds awarded under the Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) program are used to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations. Only the applications most closely conforming to program priorities are considered and scored by peer review panels.

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

CONTACT: Communications Director Cliff Smith, 202-225-4921, Clifford.Smith@mail.house.gov, or District Director Ray Melick, (205) 968-1290, Ray.Melick@mail.house.gov.

U.S. Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) serves on three Congressional committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Budget, and Space, Science and Technology. Visit Palmer online at his website or via Facebook,Twitter, or Instagram.