The Ocean Township (Monmouth County) Fire District Number 2 was awarded a grant in the amount of $67,938 from the Department of Homeland Security through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today.

“The grant will be used by the Fire District to purchase a new set of hydraulic rescue tools to help extricate victims of serious car crashes, and is among the most important tools the first responders bring to motor vehicle accidents and entrapments,” said Smith who represents Ocean Township in Congress.  “The grant covers roughly 95 percent of the cost to replace the Department’s very outdated  ‘Jaws of Life,’ which they’ve had in operation since the 1970s.”

“It is well needed,” said Earl Gifford, Fire Commissioner and Treasurer of Fire District No. 2.  “It’s one of the first units Hurst made. And while it’s good, it doesn’t fit the needs of our manpower today.”

“History was made when the first set of ‘Jaws of Life’ was commercially available in 1971. Originally designed for car racing applications, they took a few years to be accepted by fire departments.  Just seven years after they were commercially available, in 1978 we bought the set that is still in service on our rescue truck. They are ready to be retired and belong in a museum, not on our rescue truck,” Commissioner Gifford added.

A long-time member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, Smith helped create the AFG grant program in 2000. The aim of the AFG grant program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and EMS organizations across the country. Since 2001, it has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

“This is exactly the type of emergency response and protection equipment the AFG program was created for.  The purpose of AFG is to award grants directly to fire departments and non-affiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations (EMS) to protect both the health and safety of the public and first-responder personnel as well,” Rep. Smith said.  “Protecting the first responders who protect our communities, neighborhoods, residents and businesses is of utmost importance.”

The Department intends to purchase three new rams, a spreader, standalone gas powered unit, vehicle mounted electric power unit, wedge lifting bag, and multiple air bags for a total cost of $70,834.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an important component of the larger, coordinated effort to strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and related hazards. Since Fiscal Year (FY) 2001, the AFG Program has provided approximately $7.1 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, as well as firefighting and emergency vehicles, and training. The AFG Program will award another $310.5 million to first-responder organizations that need support to improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.

This is round 5 of the competitive FY2017 fire grant announcements.  For more about the AFG Program please visit https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program.

Congressman Smith, who represents New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives, has offices in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties.  The Monmouth County office is located at 112 Village Center Drive in the Raintree Shopping Center, Freehold Township. The phone number is 732-780-3035.