A Mercer County, N.J. emergency medical service (EMS) squad has been awarded a federal grant by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Congressman Chris Smith announced today.

    “This federal grant will help East Windsor squad volunteers do their job,” Smith said. “This type of equipment has become very expensive for small towns and small, all-volunteer EMS squads, so this federal grant is welcomed support.”

    The East Windsor Township Rescue Squad District 1 will receive $22,990 toward the purchase of new stretchers and sets of reporting log books.

    U.S. DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency, in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration, determines grant recipients. This award is made under the 20^th round of the Fiscal Year 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, a competitive grant program.

    As a long-time member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Smith helped create the equipment grant program in 2000. Congress launched the program to assist the modernization of local emergency organizations which respond to fires, accidents and other emergencies.

    “I believe the AFG grant is one of the best federal grant programs,” said Smith. “It’s a competitive grant, but it’s flexible. Most notably, funds go directly to the community organization seeking assistance for exactly the equipment they need, which is why Congress and FEMA created the AFG program.”