Titus Amendment Provides Grants for Fire Departments that Use Water Efficiently

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District spoke today on the House floor on an amendment she introduced to H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009.  The bill reauthorizes two important firefighter assistance programs, the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, that help fire departments hire additional firefighters and purchase equipment, training, fire trucks, and other resources.  Below are Titus’ remarks as delivered on her amendment which passed with unanimous support.

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today with an amendment to H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009.

“I would first like to thank Chairmen Gordon and Thompson for their work on this important legislation and Chairwoman Slaughter for making my amendment in order.  I appreciate their willingness to work with me on this important issue.

“The Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009 will provide much needed funding for fire departments across the United States.  Since 2001, the Fire Grants programs have provided more than $5 billion to local fire departments to help them fund the purchase of equipment, train firefighters, and hire additional personnel.  In all of our districts, local governments are struggling with their budgets; so these grants are especially important now to help ensure that fire departments all across the country are able to access the resources they need and provide the critical services that we all depend on.

“My amendment to this important legislation is simple; it allows fire departments to apply for grant funding to purchase equipment that is designed to reduce water usage in fighting fires or in training to fight fires.  This important expansion will provide fire departments the opportunity to purchase pieces of equipment that are not only effective in fighting fires, but also are efficient in water usage.  By allowing and encouraging these purchases, we are helping fire departments not only fight fires in a safer way, but also in a way that uses less water.  Preserving this valuable resource, without diminishing firefighting safety and capability, makes purchases by our local governments doubly beneficial. 

“In my Congressional District in Southern Nevada, like in many desert communities, water is a valued, precious commodity, as such, it is also our most our most significant limited resource.  Accordingly, state and local management officials and citizens, especially in the West, are constantly working to meet the water demands of a growing population of resident and tourists.  This provision will help them in that effort to improve the efficiency of their water usage techniques and technology.

“In preparing this amendment, I reached out to our local fire chief, Chief Steve Smith of the Clark County Fire Department.  He informed me that with the right equipment, the amount of water used to fight a typical fire can be reduced by almost 80 percent.  Not only does this technology reduce the amount of water required to extinguish the fire, it also limits structural damage, the threat of the fire rekindling, and runoff of dangerous chemicals into our local sewer systems.

“For all of these reasons, I urge the passage of this amendment.  It will save water, enhance firefighting abilities, protect property, and limit potential damage in the aftermath of fires.”

Click here to read the text of the amendment.

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Tags: water issues