Kanjorski Announces FIRE Grant Workshops

WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) today announced that the Luzerne County EMA will host a workshop for fire companies on applying for federal FIRE grants at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10, at the Luzerne County EMA Building, 185 Water St. in Wilkes-Barre. There will also be a workshop at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Monroe County Public Safety Training Center, 100 Gypsum Road in Stroudsburg.

Kevin O'Brian, Deputy Luzerne County EMA Director, will instruct fire companies on filling out the grant applications.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's federal FIRE grant program is tentatively scheduled to open on March 7 for applications. The tentative deadline is April 8. For more information on the FEMA program, go to http://www.firegrantsupport.com/.

Since the FIRE grant program began, more than $7.4 million has been awarded to 72 Fire Companies in the 11^th Congressional District.

Congressman Kanjorski also wants fire companies to know that the state's Volunteer Fire Company, Volunteer Ambulance Service 2004-2005 Grant Program is accepting applications at this time. The application deadline is Feb. 28. That application is available online at the State Fire Commissioner's Web site, http://www.osfc.state.pa.us/.

For more information, fire companies can call Congressman Kanjorski's Wilkes-Barre office at 570-825-2200.

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