Post by scannerman5555 on Feb 3, 2004 23:45:00 GMT -5
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Fire Depts Burned by '05 Budget Grant Cuts
By Elaine S. Povich
Washington Bureau
February 4, 2004
Washington -- In August, Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) proudly presented a check for $204,000 to the Patchogue Fire Department, the result of a successful grant application to the federal government from one of many New York City and Long Island departments -- all involved in the Sept. 11 rescue efforts.
But President George W. Bush's fiscal 2005 budget calls for a reduction in those type of grants, putting hundreds of local fire departments across the country into even stiffer competition for funds needed to update equipment and train first responders.
Congress appropriated $750 million for the firefighter grants in fiscal 2004; the Bush budget calls for $500 million. That cut comes despite rhetoric in the budget document that it "supports critical preparedness, response and recovery efforts at all levels of government."
Chad Colton, a spokesman for the administration's Office of Management and Budget, said the reduction in funds is "a little bit of a shift in priorities, not away from fire departments, but in the way funds are directed to areas based on threats." He said the budget contains more money for areas likely to be the targets of terrorism. But he acknowledged that the extra money is not "firefighter specific, but terrorism preparedness specific."
For every fire department that got grant money last year, five or six had applied, according to members of Congress who often helped the departments prepare their applications. Those departments were hoping the program would continue at current funding levels so they, too, could update their equipment and training.
"It just makes long odds even longer," said Bishop, who has scheduled another grant application training class in March for local fire departments. "Within the context of the homeland security budget getting a nine percent increase, to cut first responders seems so unwise."
Larry Fink, first assistant chief of the Brookhaven Fire Department, one of those unsuccessful in getting money last year, said his department was prepared to try again to get funds for "rapid intervention teams," which assist injured firefighters at the scene and require specialized equipment.
Brookhaven sent men and materials to the World Trade Center site on Sept. 11, 2001, several going on their own time to search for Lincoln Quappé, a former colleague who had left the department but who was still fighting fires.
"We are the first responders and we are the first line of defense," Fink said. "What that tells me is that we're expendable."
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who also helped fire departments in her district prepare successful grant applications, noted that Congress had increased funds from the Bush request last year, and suggested it might do so again. "It's up to the president whether he vetos it," she said.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc. | Article licensing and reprint options
Fire Depts Burned by '05 Budget Grant Cuts
By Elaine S. Povich
Washington Bureau
February 4, 2004
Washington -- In August, Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) proudly presented a check for $204,000 to the Patchogue Fire Department, the result of a successful grant application to the federal government from one of many New York City and Long Island departments -- all involved in the Sept. 11 rescue efforts.
But President George W. Bush's fiscal 2005 budget calls for a reduction in those type of grants, putting hundreds of local fire departments across the country into even stiffer competition for funds needed to update equipment and train first responders.
Congress appropriated $750 million for the firefighter grants in fiscal 2004; the Bush budget calls for $500 million. That cut comes despite rhetoric in the budget document that it "supports critical preparedness, response and recovery efforts at all levels of government."
Chad Colton, a spokesman for the administration's Office of Management and Budget, said the reduction in funds is "a little bit of a shift in priorities, not away from fire departments, but in the way funds are directed to areas based on threats." He said the budget contains more money for areas likely to be the targets of terrorism. But he acknowledged that the extra money is not "firefighter specific, but terrorism preparedness specific."
For every fire department that got grant money last year, five or six had applied, according to members of Congress who often helped the departments prepare their applications. Those departments were hoping the program would continue at current funding levels so they, too, could update their equipment and training.
"It just makes long odds even longer," said Bishop, who has scheduled another grant application training class in March for local fire departments. "Within the context of the homeland security budget getting a nine percent increase, to cut first responders seems so unwise."
Larry Fink, first assistant chief of the Brookhaven Fire Department, one of those unsuccessful in getting money last year, said his department was prepared to try again to get funds for "rapid intervention teams," which assist injured firefighters at the scene and require specialized equipment.
Brookhaven sent men and materials to the World Trade Center site on Sept. 11, 2001, several going on their own time to search for Lincoln Quappé, a former colleague who had left the department but who was still fighting fires.
"We are the first responders and we are the first line of defense," Fink said. "What that tells me is that we're expendable."
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who also helped fire departments in her district prepare successful grant applications, noted that Congress had increased funds from the Bush request last year, and suggested it might do so again. "It's up to the president whether he vetos it," she said.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc. | Article licensing and reprint options