Placerville, Calif. (July 18, 2024) – El Dorado County Fire Protection District is pleased to announce it has been awarded funding to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The District will receive $538,687 from the Fiscal Year 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Grant Programs Directorate (GPD). At today’s Board of Directors meeting the El Dorado County Fire Protection District Board of Directors accepted the grant, which includes approving ten-percent matching funds.

Funding for the Fiscal Year 2023 AFG program was approved by Congress in late 2022 under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. No. 117-328).  The Fiscal Year 2023 AFG program will award $324 million to fire service agencies across the nation. Since fiscal year 2001, the AFG has awarded approximately $8.4 billion in grants to provide critically needed resources to help keep firefighters and the public safe from fires and fire-related hazards.

SCBAs are critical safety equipment that provide firefighters with a clean, breathable air supply in hazardous environments filled with smoke, toxic gases, or low oxygen levels. These units consist of a high-pressure cylinder, a pressure regulator, and face mask. By using SCBAs, firefighters can safely enter and operate in dangerous conditions, allowing them to perform rescues, extinguish fires, and conduct essential operations without risking inhalation of harmful substances. This grant will enhance the safety and effectiveness of our firefighters, ensuring they are better equipped to protect our community.

The El Dorado County Fire Protection District provides fire, rescue and EMS services in the communities of Placerville, Shingle Springs, Pollock Pines, Camino, Pleasant Valley, Cool, Coloma, Lotus, Pilot Hill, Pleasant Valley, Oak Hill, Strawberry, and Kyburz.

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