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Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY) announced today that the Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $52,208 Grant to the Rochester Fire Department as part of the fifth round of the Fiscal Year 2004 Fire Prevention & Safety program. "Time and time again I speak to firefighters and first responders who are struggling with increasing demands and decreasing funds," Senator Clinton said. "These programs provide essential grants directly to fire departments across New York and the country. Every dollar that our local communities receive means extra resources not only to help them fight fires but to help them respond to other emergencies and ensure public safety." "We should do everything we can to ensure that our firefighters have the resources, equipment and training they need to keep us safe," Senator Clinton said. the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP) awards one-year grants directly to fire departments to support the nation’s firefighters and the services they deliver. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) administers the program, in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). the grant awarded today will be funded under the Fire Prevention and Safety program. The Program provides funding for public education and awareness activities, fire code enforcement activities, and fire inspector certifications. Senator Clinton has continuously fought for full funding of the FIRE Act and for passage of the "Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters Act of 2003" ("SAFER Act"), to provide $7.6 billion in funding over seven years to help our nation’s fire departments hire an additional 75,000 firefighters. Senator Clinton was also proud to announce the Senate passage of the SAFER Act proposal, which was included in the Department of Defense Authorization bill, and was enacted in November 2003. Senator Clinton also worked with her colleagues to secure Senate approval of amendments to the FY 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations bill that were designed to provide greater support to our fire fighters and other first responders and improve our nation’s homeland defense. The final Homeland Security Appropriations law contained $650 million in homeland security funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and $65 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) Act for Fiscal Year 2005, which began October 1st. in January 2003, Senator Clinton introduced a resolution calling for full funding for first responders. She also co-sponsored an amendment to the budget resolution offered by Senator Dodd, which sought to provide more funding for the FIRE Act as well as fund the SAFER Act for Fiscal Year 2004. Senator Clinton also fought for more funding for firefighters and other first responders in the "Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2003." Recently, Senator Clinton re-introduced legislation designed to increase the flow of homeland security funds directly to our local communities and their first responders. The Domestic Defense Fund Act of 2005 would provide direct funding to cities and towns, as well as to states, using a threat and risk based formula. This legislation also calls for significant increases in federal homeland security funding and provides local communities and first responders with the flexibility they need regarding the use of that funding. A list of grants awarded to New York State in this round is listed below. Lists of grant awards are posted regularly on their web site at www.usfa.fema.gov.