BOTHELL, Wash. – FEMA has awarded $4.9 Million to communities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to enhance the safety of the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

Awards went to communities across the region to address a variety of different needs including:

• City of Ketchikan, Alaska – 18 portable radios to enhance communication capabilities between neighboring Alaskan first responders.
• Gem County Fire District, Idaho – 48 sets of wildland personal protective equipment that will improve responder safety and operational effectiveness.
• Central Cascades Fire & EMS, Oregon – Funding to convert a pickup truck into a wildland brush truck.
• King County Fire District 13 and Mountain View Fire and Rescue, Washington – Expanded mental and physical health services in two King County Fire Departments to support job performance, promote healthy lifestyles and increase the resilience of emergency responders.

The primary goal of the AFG Program is to help meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and other emergency services organizations. For example, funds from this program can be used to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other necessary resources.

Additional funded projects will be announced to communities within the coming weeks. Visit FEMA.gov for more information about the AFG Program.