RELEASE: Gottheimer-led Legislation Passes to Reauthorize Key Firefighter Grant Programs, Keep Communities Safe, Lower Taxes

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) helped pass a bipartisan reauthorization of FEMA’s Assistance for Firefighter Grants (AFG) and Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants program for five years, along with a reauthorization of the United States Fire Administration. These grant programs are critical to hiring, training, retaining, and supporting firefighters and keeping communities safe in case of fires. By clawing these grants back to North Jersey, it alleviates the tax burden on local municipalities and helps towns lower property taxes.

Since entering office in 2017, Gottheimer has worked closely with fire departments and local officials across North Jersey to apply for and win grants from the AFG and SAFER programs. North Jersey has clawed back about $8.8 million in AFG awards since 2017 and $4.1 million in SAFER grants since 2018. These grants have helped purchase critical equipment including fire trucks, fire hoses, ventilators, and radios for firefighters.  

“I am proud to help reauthorize the critical AFG and SAFER grant programs, which greatly benefit Jersey’s firefighters,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “It is so important that we invest in our fire departments and equip them with the resources they need to hire, train, retain, and support firefighters. With this reauthorization passed, I’m now focused on delivering more of these grants for North Jersey.”

Gottheimer Helped Reauthorize the Following Programs:

• Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), which equip and train firefighters to better respond to emergencies. 
• Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), which ensures that fire departments can hire and retain a 24-hour firefighting force.

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