Higgins & Mayor Brown announce $210,500 federal grant for Buffalo Fire Department

Award aimed at supporting fire safety

Congressman Brian Higgins and City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced the Buffalo Fire Department was awarded a federal fire grant totaling $210,500. The funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) fire prevention and safety program.

“Proactive fire safety and prevention measures are the best way to protect residents and the brave men and women of the Buffalo Fire Department who serve this community,” Higgins said. “This federal funding will support a range of programs to equip and educate residents in the event of fire emergencies. I commend the city for seeking out this opportunity to enhance public safety.”

“I thank Congressman Brian Higgins for his work to secure this important grant for the Buffalo Fire Department,” Brown said. “Fire safety is a priority for my administration and our city’s residents. This new funding will help us in our efforts to keep our residents fire safe.”

The Buffalo Fire Department will use the federal grant for several projects including a census-driven smoke detector giveaway/installation initiative; a Juvenile Fire Intervention, Reduction, and Education (J-FIRE) program; and a mobile fire prevention trailer used for outreach and education.

Fire prevention and safety grants, one of three opportunities offered under the Assistance to Firefighter Grant program, provide competitive grants to fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, and other eligible applicants with a focus on enhancing the safety of communities and firefighters throughout the U.S. All applications are submitted to DHS and go through a nonpartisan, merit-based review ranked by factors established by a panel of fire service professionals.

Congress approved $36 million for the fire prevention and safety grant program specifically, and a total of $324 million for all Assistance to Firefighters Grants during this year’s award cycle to support fire department safety and readiness efforts nationwide.

This is one of several federal fire grants awarded to Buffalo in recent years, including $95,000 in 2021 to reduce cancer risks associated with firefighter exposure to contaminated gear, $322,000 in 2019 for water rescue equipment and automated external defibrillator programs, and $417,000 in 2020 for personal protective equipment to keep firefighters safe during the pandemic.