Columbus Fire and EMS benefit from bipartisan federal program for equipment, training
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that will keep funding in place for two federal programs that assist fire departments across the country – including here in Columbus and throughout Georgia.
The bill is now headed to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature before it becomes law.
These grants assists small volunteer departments and large ones like Columbus Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
This funding is administered through two funds – one for personnel and one for equipment.
This legislation will provide about $95 million a year to assist fire departments in purchasing or caring for the equipment needed to fight blazes.
It can also be used to hire and retain firefighters as well as to help train them.
“And this is about ensuring that if, God forbid, a family wakes up and smell smoke needs to dial 911, that fire departments across Georgia have the personnel and the equipment necessary to save lives,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia.
Columbus Fire and EMS Chief Sal Scarpa said this is an important funding stream for local fire departments.
“This grant opportunity is significant because it affords organizations like us the opportunity to apply for grants on a competitive basis for resources that we can’t get through our budget,” he said. “As you know, budgets are limited all the time and there are a lot of needs across the city. We submit all of the things that we need and ask for But obviously council can not always give us everything we ask for. So, when there are gaps we look for funding opportunities outside the city. This grant process gives us access to fill those gaps.”
This was a bipartisan effort in Washington.
“I know it seems like all that happens in Washington is fighting between the political parties,” Ossoff said. “But I saw an opportunity a year ago for us to unite Republicans and Democrats to support fire departments in Georgia and across the country. It’s taken a lot of effort, but we’ve passed this through the House and the Senate, and it’s on the way to the president for a signature.”
And it is being well received by the agencies that will benefit from it.
“I think everybody believes in fire safety, everybody believes in public safety, that doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is and the fact that the Congress was able to pass legislation that is bipartisan in nature that supports that notion,” Scarpa said. “Regardless of their other differences, they support public safety.”
This funding was scheduled to run out but the political powers worked to keep in in place.
“I started beating the drum on this last year on the need for Democrats and Republicans in Congress to come together and pass this fire safety bill,” Ossoff said. “And whether it’s Chief Scarpa in Columbus or any of the fire chiefs in full time or volunteer departments across Georgia, there is an urgent need for protective equipment. There’s an urgent need for firefighting equipment.”
For the Columbus Fire and EMS is means equipment. Over the last couple of years, Columbus Fire and EMS have been able to purchase special washers and dryers for their turnout equipment. Last year, it was $350,000 in weight training equipment for the fire houses.
“This year, we’ve applied for a grant to provide some turnout gear — so protective gear that our firefighters were on a daily basis,” Scarpa said. “In addition, we’ve asked for some self-contained breathing apparatus, which is the breathing tanks — you see them in the fires — through this grant opportunity.”
Since 2020, Columbus Fire and EMS has received over $565 Thousand dollars from this program.
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