Fifth District claws back more than $1.6M in federal assistance for North Jersey firefighters, EMS in 2022

NORTH JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) Tuesday announced a new round of federal investment that Fifth District first responders have clawed back this year for vital safety and service equipment and to help lower property taxes — more than $1.64 million in federal investment to fire departments and EMS agencies in North Jersey through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

New federal AFG recipients this year include:

• Upper Saddle River Fire Department: $52,046 for PPE, turnout gear, washer/dryer system, exhaust extraction modifications.
• Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps: $224,318 for new turnout gear.
• Northvale: $190,476 for 25 P25 two-way radios.
• Glen Rock Borough: $293,409 for 80 sets of self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA).
• Teaneck: $437,217 for 20 Mobile radios for apparatus & vehicles, 38 portable radios and, programming, installation & training.
• Demarest: $74,214 for a health and wellness package consisting of cancer and physical screenings, phycologists, personal training, and more.
• Hardyston Volunteer Fire Department: $29,420 for operations and safety.
• Borough of Washington Fire Department: $49,523 for operations and safety.

“North Jersey’s firefighters and EMS have our backs every day, running into fires and saving lives. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant is a great opportunity to claw more of the federal tax dollars that we send to Washington back to Jersey, so our first responders have the tools they need to stay safe and keep our communities safe,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), a member of the bipartisan Congressional Fire Services Caucus. “Historically, our state has received pennies back on the dollars we send to Washington, compared to Moocher States like Mississippi and Alabama. We’ve made great progress in solving that problem, by clawing back federal investment, lowering the property tax burden on our residents, and supporting our local communities.”

The AFG program helps firehouses and EMS agencies across the country to upgrade or purchase new equipment, vehicles, workplace training, and other fire prevention activities.

As a proud member of the bipartisan Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Gottheimer has been laser-focused on encouraging North Jersey towns to apply for grant programs to return federal tax dollars to North Jersey, including through the AFG and SAFER grant programs.

Gottheimer recently announced that New Jersey’s Fifth District has clawed 357% more federal tax dollars back from Washington and the Moocher States since taking office. For 2021 alone, the federal tax dollars clawed back amount to an average savings of more than $750 for each household in the Fifth District.

Gottheimer’s Return on Investment team has visited all 79 towns in the Fifth District to raise awareness of the availability of federal grant dollars, written congressional letters of support, convened at least 15 Mayor Summits to train local leaders on how to apply for grants, hosted 15 grant workshops, sent thousands of letters and scores of emails to local leaders, and held more than 600 meetings with local officials.