By U.S. Sen. Susan Collins(R-Maine)
Whether it is a natural or man-made disaster, our local police, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel are always the first on the scene. Having to confront today’s challenges of terrorism as well as age old problems like the terrible fires that destroyed a boat-building business in Boothbay and a block in Northeast Harbor, first responders across the country are often stretched beyond their limits. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) administers several grant programs to help relieve the pressure that first responders face when it comes to finding money to buy new equipment, conduct critical exercises and training, and plan for the worst case scenarios. As Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I have worked to sustain funding for these crucial DHS grant programs.
Last year’s homeland security law, which I co-authored with Sen. Joe Lieberman, increased funding for DHS grant programs such as the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) and the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program.
Maine will receive a total of $6.1 million this year under SHSGP. SHSGP provides funding to state and local governments for homeland security-related planning, training, equipment, and exercises. This money will fund important prevention, protection, response, and recovery activities among first responders in Maine. The state’s long international border, expansive coastline, and proximity to major population centers such as New York and Boston require it to be prepared to stop terrorists before they strike, to train for all hazards, and to deal with looming threats such as pandemic influenza. This year’s funding is 60 percent higher than last year, and will provide a significant boost to the capabilities of our first responders.
I also am pleased that DHS will award Maine $5.1 million in funding under another DHS grant program, known as Operation Stonegarden. Maine will use these funds to pay the personnel, equipment, and vehicle costs associated with joint border enforcement operations. Operation Stonegarden allows Maine’s local and state law enforcement agencies to work hand-in-hand with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to safeguard our border. In the past, this grant program has led to the successful interception of drug shipments and illegal immigrants attempting to cross the border between Maine and Canada. The continued funding will provide vital resources needed to secure our border, and promote cooperation among federal, state, county and local law enforcement.
In addition, Maine will receive more than $147,000 as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizen Corps Program. Maine also received $1.7 million as part of the Port Security Grant Program and $242,000 under the new Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program. Both programs were created under legislation I authored with Sen. Lieberman in the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
Combined with the funding for SHSGP, Operation Stonegarden, and other DHS programs, the total amount of federal homeland security funding received by Maine this year comes to nearly $18 million.
I have also co-authored legislation to increase funding for the United States Fire Administration (USFA) and expand the range of training programs offered at the National Fire Academy. Since its creation in 1974, USFA and its Academy have helped prevent fires, protect property, and save lives among firefighters and the public. The USFA also performs critical work to prepare our nation against disasters and helps DHS administer the Fire Act and SAFER Act grant programs. Since 2001, local fire departments in Maine have received more than $46 million in funding under the Fire Act grant program alone, a program I strongly support. As the principal federal agency for America’s fire service, the USFA is invaluable to our nation and its firefighters.
These grant programs provide firefighters, including many volunteers, with state-of-the-art protective gear and other life-saving equipment and resources needed to support their work. Items such as fire trucks, bunker gear, self-contained breathing apparatus, thermal cameras, and the “jaws-of-life” have been purchased with these grants. The funds can also help fire departments with recruiting and community education efforts.
Additionally, more than 30,000 fire departments across the country rely on the USFA for training, emergency incident data collection, fire awareness and education, and research and development activities. Each year, the USFA trains approximately one million fire and emergency personnel both at the USFA campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and through distance learning programs.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to the first responders serving the communities of Maine. I will continue to do all I can to ensure they are kept as safe as possible as they protect each of us.
