WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that nine Missouri fire departments will receive a total of $1,066,139 in new grant funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The AFG program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

“Firefighters and first responders put themselves in harm’s way to save lives, and they must have access to the training and equipment that will help them do their job as safely as possible,” said Blunt. “That’s why I’ve been proud to support the AFG program, which provides critical resources to fire departments in Missouri and across the country. I’ll continue working to ensure that these departments and other local emergency response agencies have the federal support they need.”

Funding for the AFG grants was included in the FY2016 omnibus appropriations bill. Blunt helped secure a $5 million increase for the AFG grant program in that bill.

The fire departments set to receive funding are:

• City of De Soto Fire Department

• Gorin District Volunteer Fire Department

• Leadwood Fire Protection District

• Meta Fire & Rescue FPD

• Oran Fire Protection District

• Rocky Mount Fire Protection District

• St. Louis Fire Department

• Scott County Rural Fire Protection District

• Whitewater Fire Protection District