Warwick F.D. receives $949K in federal funding for training

WARWICK MAYOR SCOTT AVEDISIAN said he is pleased that the city received a $949,549 Assistance to Firefighters Grant as it will allow firefighters to complete specialized rescue training and gain technical expertise.  
 / COURTESY CITY OF WARWICK
WARWICK MAYOR SCOTT AVEDISIAN said he is pleased that the city received a $949,549 Assistance to Firefighters Grant as it will allow firefighters to complete specialized rescue training and gain technical expertise. / COURTESY CITY OF WARWICK

WARWICK – The Warwick Fire Department has received $949,549 in federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which will allow firefighters to complete specialized rescue training and gain technical expertise to help prepare them for emergencies such as potential building collapses or other industrial accidents.

This marks the second major AFG award Warwick has received over the last year.

U.S. Sens. Jack F. Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin joined with Mayor Scott Avedisian on Tuesday to announce the grant, according to a news release from Reed’s office.

The release stated that Warwick has several large construction projects, including the expansion of the runway at T.F. Green Airport, transportation infrastructure projects, improvements to public facilities and wind turbine projects.

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The Fire Department applied for the AFG award to help offset the cost of training firefighters on specific emergency response techniques, such as trench rescue, which involves excavating or rescuing individuals who have become trapped beneath the surface, the release said.

“I commend the Warwick Fire Department for winning this grant to enhance their rescue capabilities and better serve the public. Firefighters do so much more than just fight fires, and these federal dollars will help ensure they have the specialized training they need to effectively respond to a variety of search and rescue incidents,” Reed said in a statement.

Avedisian said that the training “is vitally important to ensuring that our firefighters can respond effectively, efficiently and safely to a variety of emergency situations.”

AFG is a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. Since Congress established the program in 2001, Rhode Island fire departments and other first responders have won more than $27 million in AFG awards.

Last year, the Warwick Fire Department received a $693,000 AFG award to help purchase a new sprinkler and alarm system and a new mobile training facility.

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