Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Awarded $1.2 Million Grant

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service will receive a $1.2 million federal grant to buy external defibrillators, devices used to revive people.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, and U.S. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, announced last week. 

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman Beth Anne Nesselt told Patch that the one-time grant would replace the 40 monitors in the county's current inventory—old monitors she said were at the end of their operational life spans.

Mikulski (D-Md) is the chairwoman of the senate appropriations committee. Cardin (D-Md) is a member of the finance committee. Van Hollen, who is also a Democrat, represents the 8th congressional district, which includes Montgomery County.

“I know how important this funding is to Maryland communities—often it’s the difference between life and death,” Mikulski said in a statement to the media. “First responders protect our homes and communities, and the federal government has a responsibility to protect them by providing them with the tools they need to do their jobs safer and smarter.” 

This story has been updated to include comments from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman Beth Anne Nesselt.