Kanjorski Announces $30,645 for Coolbaugh Township Volunteer Fire Company
Nearly $6 million in federal grants awarded to the 11^th District since FIRE program began

WASHINGTON - Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) today announced that the Coolbaugh Township Volunteer Fire Company has received $30,645 for supporting equipment for the company's rescue truck and Jaws of Life.

Coolbaugh Township supplied the fire company with a new rescue truck and Jaws of Life last year.

"Our volunteer fire departments rely increasingly on money from fundraisers just to keep their operations running, so these federal grants are very important. We need to be willing to provide the money to the people who protect us - the first responders like our firefighters - who are out there every day risking their own lives. We owe it to them and we owe it to their families to make sure they are well-equipped to do their jobs safely," Congressman Kanjorski said.

Coolbaugh Township Supervisor Gratz Washenik said the community is grateful to Congressman Kanjorski.

"We appreciate the job that Congressman Kanjorski has done to keep us funded in these important areas," Supervisor Washenik said.

The money is part of the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) grant program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

To date, 61 fire companies in the 11^th District have received FIRE grants.

President Bush's proposed 2005 budget would cut Homeland Security Department funding for firefighters. The President's first two budgets did not include FIRE grant funding, but Congress stepped up to ensure that the nation's firefighters were not shortchanged.

"Cutting funding for FIRE grants is unacceptable. These federal dollars are vital to the continuation of our fire stations and fire companies in Northeastern Pennsylvania as well as across the nation," Congressman Kanjorski said.

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