WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today praised the award of almost $1.18 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding to improve fire prevention and public safety in Mississippi—the bulk of which will go toward decreasing the number of Mississippians who perish in home fires.

FEMA has approved a $999,248 Fire Protection and Safety (FPS) grant to Mississippi’s State Fire Marshal’s Office, an agency within the Mississippi Department of Insurance.

FPS-supported projects are intended to enhance the safety of the public, as well as firefighters, from fire and related hazards.  The grant to Mississippi will be used to support the Fire Marshal’s Fire Safety Education program, which was created by the state legislature in 2004 to reduce fire deaths in the State.

“Tragic fire deaths in Mississippi could be prevented by taking steps to protect homes and to learn fire safety tips.  These federal resources will be used to support the state’s ongoing initiatives to prevent fire-related deaths and injuries,” said Cochran, who serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds FEMA.  “I commend the State Insurance Commissioner and the Fire Marshal for making this public safety initiative a priority in our state.”

“This federal funding represents an important investment that will protect property and lives by strengthening fire prevention efforts in Mississippi.  I appreciate FEMA’s recognition of the valuable work being done by Mississippi’s State Fire Marshal’s office,” Wicker said. 

The Mississippi Senators also reported that four new Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) grants, totaling $180,336, have also been approved for volunteer fire departments in Hazlehurst, Philadelphia, Rienzi and Union.

To date this year, 63 AFG grants worth more than $5.0 million have been awarded to Mississippi municipal and volunteer fire departments for operations and safety or vehicle acquisition.  These competitive grants are funded through the FY2009 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill.  The following are the latest FY2009 AFG awards approved for Mississippi:

Operations and Safety
     • Allen Volunteer Fire Department, Hazlehurst – $66,215
     • North Bend Fire Protection District, Philadelphia – $63,538
     • Pisgah Community Volunteer Fire Department, Rienzi – $38,556
     • Linwood Volunteer Fire Department, Union – $12,027

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