WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. Congressman Dan Boren voted to provide local firefighters with the tools and resources they need to prevent and fight fires, and to continue keeping communities safe.

As many local governments are facing budget shortfalls and/or cuts to basic services, H.R. 3791, or the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act, invests in vital firefighter assistance programs that allow local departments to provide training, purchase equipment and vehicles, and hire personnel.

“This bill provides critical funding to safeguard our families, homes, neighborhoods and businesses,” Boren said in a news release. “Oklahomans also have witnessed firsthand the devastation wildfires can have on rural communities and the strain they place on our emergency responders’ available resources. These funds will complement the determination and dedication our firefighters have to providing public safety by giving them the additional tools and training they need.”

The bipartisan legislation authorizes a total of $2.2 billion a year in grants for local municipalities to upgrade crucial equipment and maintain adequate levels of personnel. It also makes it easier for local fire departments to access these critical funds by lowering matching requirements and modifying time commitments. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, fire departments and first responders across the country have been overstretched — taking on even more responsibilities to respond to national security concerns, as well as preventing and fighting fires. This legislation will gives fire departments the critical resources they need to address these threats.

“State and local governments may be facing falling revenues and shrinking budgets, but they should never have to choose between adequately trained personnel and functioning equipment. This bill protects against that,” Boren said.

The bill has the support of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association and the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

Key Points:

• H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act reauthorizes two popular, critically important firefighter assistance programs — the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program — for the next five years.

• Since the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program was created in 2000, nearly $5 billion has gone directly to fire departments to purchase equipment, training, fire trucks and other resources.

• Since the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program was created in 2004, nearly $700 million has gone to fire departments to help hire additional firefighters.

• The bill makes changes to the AFG program so it can assist all types of communities, from large cities to small towns. Currently less than 20 percent of the funding goes to career fire departments that serve our most populated areas. To ensure a more equitable distribution of funding, the bill requires the funds to be apportioned such that 25 percent would go to career fire departments, 25 percent would go to combination fire departments, and 25 percent would go to volunteer fire departments. Ten percent would remain for open competition among all types of fire departments. The remaining 15 percent would serve certain other important functions, including fire prevention and safety grants.

• The bill also includes other changes to the AFG and SAFER programs, such as lowering the matching requirement for the AFG program from 20 percent to 10 percent — with populations serving populations under 20,000 paying only a 5-percent match.