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Office of the 11th Congressional District of Virginia
Formerly the Office of Representative Gerry Connolly
The Washington, D.C., office and the district office of former Representative Connolly will continue to serve the people of the 11th Congressional District of Virginia under the supervision of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Representative Connolly passed away on May 21, 2025. See Press Release

Fairfax Co Fire & Rescue Receives $3.1 Million FEMA Grant for Staffing

Washington, DC, August 19, 2013
The Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department is receiving a $3.1 million federal grant to enhance firefighter and emergency medical staffing in the department, Congressman Gerry Connolly said today. Read more.
FAIRFAX – The Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department is receiving a $3.1 million federal grant to enhance firefighter and emergency medical staffing in the department, Congressman Gerry Connolly said today.
The grant awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will provide funding for 19 positions in the Fairfax department, Connolly said.  Fairfax County applied for the funding under FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response grants program (SAFER) and was selected to receive the grant through a rigorous peer review process. 
Connolly said the SAFER grants, created by Congress, are aimed at helping fire departments increase or maintain the number of trained, “front line" firefighters available in their communities. The goal of the SAFER program is to enhance a local fire departments' ability to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA).
“Fairfax County residents are protected by one of the best fire and EMS departments in the nation,” Congressman Connolly said. “This funding will help our dedicated firefighters and emergency medical personnel continue to provide rapid response times with adequate staffing to serve the needs of our growing county and enhance safety for our citizens.”
Connolly praised the work by the county in seeking the federal grant.  “Fairfax Fire Chief Richard Bowers, his command staff, county staff, and Fairfax County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics, IAFF Local 2068, worked together to secure this funding to keep our community safe,” he said.