Wu: House Passes Bill That Will Support Oregon Fire Fighters

Press Release

Today Congressman David Wu joined the majority of the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, which will benefit fire fighters in Oregon and across the country.

H.R. 3791 reauthorizes both the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. Congressman Wu's Science Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation held a hearing on the best way to reauthorize both programs in July 2009 and the resulting legislation was approved by the Science Committee in October 2009.

During the July hearing, Jeff Johnson, fire chief of Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue, whose department has 500 members and protects more than 432,500 people in nine cities and portions of three counties in the Portland metropolitan region, explained how the current economic situation has affected fire departments.

"In light of the recent economic downturn, many fire departments across the country have seen their budgets cut," Johnson said. "To respond to these budget cuts, fire stations have been shut down, firefighters have been laid off, and training, equipment, and fire prevention budgets have been cut."

Johnson went on to say that the funds provided by the Fire Grant programs are essential to helping fire departments respond appropriately, even as budgets are cut, saying that the programs "play a vital role in making sure that local fire departments are prepared to respond to all-hazards and they have a proven record of effectiveness."

During debate on this bill, Congressman Wu gave the following statement on the floor of the House:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3791, which reauthorizes the AFG and SAFER grant programs. These important programs help keep firefighters and the public safe, and I commend Chairman Gordon's leadership in bringing this critical legislation to the floor today.

"The AFG program, which was created nine years ago, has provided nearly $5 billion in competitive awards to help local fire departments purchase equipment, training, and other critical resources. This program has played a vital role in improving the readiness and capabilities of fire departments across the nation.

"Despite the program's success so far, an alarming number of local fire departments remain without adequate training and equipment. For instance, 36 percent of fire departments involved in emergency medical response do not have enough personnel trained to perform those duties, according to an October 2006 report by the National Fire Protection Association. Moreover, roughly 65 percent of fire departments in the United States lack enough portable radios to equip all firefighters on shift. The AFG program helps address these critical shortfalls, and H.R. 3791 will further empower the federal government to assist local fire departments as they improve their capabilities.

"AFG also supports fire prevention and safety grants, which help provide smoke detectors, fire prevention education, and research to reduce the causes of fire and fire-related injury and death. Currently, more than 3,000 Americans are killed in fires every year, and another 16,000 are injured. The AFG program is an essential component of our efforts to reduce these numbers, and I am proud of the progress that the Science and Technology Committee has made in advancing the goals of this program.

"This bill also reauthorizes the SAFER program, which provides funding to help fire departments maintain adequate staffing levels. Through the SAFER program, the federal government has provided nearly $700 million to local fire departments in the past four years -- funding that is especially critical during the current economic downturn.

"At a time when many local governments are facing major budget shortfalls and cuts in services, federal support to fire departments is critical to public safety. This is particularly important in my home state of Oregon, where the unemployment level has reached 11.5 percent. Oregon has received over $40 million in AFG and SAFER grants over the past five years. This funding has helped to provide fire departments in my state with the equipment and staff necessary to keep our communities safe.

"H.R. 3791 is an important step forward in our efforts to protect communities across the nation and the firefighters who serve them, and I am particularly proud of my subcommittee's work on this important legislation. To develop this bill, my Technology and Innovation Subcommittee worked closely with stakeholders to update these critical programs. For more than six months, my subcommittee has worked with multiple fire service organizations to identify opportunities to improve the AFG and SAFER grant programs, culminating in a hearing held in July of this year.

"H.R. 3791 addresses the needs and priorities identified by fire service experts, and I am grateful for the cooperation of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, and the Congressional Fire Services Institute for their contributions to this legislation.

"H.R. 3791 improves both the SAFER and AFG programs by ensuring that fire departments with the greatest need will be able to apply for funding. The bill also provides for an equitable balance in the distribution of grant funding, ensuring funding will benefit communities both large and small.

"I would like to thank the Ranking Member of the Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, Mr. Smith, for working closely with me to develop and move this important piece of legislation out of our subcommittee. I would also like to thank the fire service organizations for their hard work in helping to craft a bill that will benefit the entire fire service and our constituents.

"Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation. I thank the chairman for yielding me time to speak on this important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time."

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