The country’s fire service has lost one of its greatest champions: U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell Jr.
Pascrell, co-chair of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus, died on Wednesday. He was 87 years old.
He created the FIRE Act, which provides federal grants to fire and rescue services for equipment, stations and personnel
Most recently, he authored a bipartisan bill that saved the program and provided additional funding for the U.S. Fire Administration.
In mid-June, after passage by both chambers, Pascrell, Democrat of New Jersey, issued a statement: “When I came to Congress, fire departments across America were literally holding bake sales to pay for their equipment. The Assistance to Firefighter Grants were the first program ever to send federal money directly to fire departments. Since their inception, the AFG and SAFER programs have provided over $14 billion to fire departments and first responders from coast to coast. They have saved countless lives. This important legislation will ensure our government continues to give our local firefighters the help they need to keep us safe. I await its signing by President Biden. God bless our firefighter heroes.”
The Paterson Fire Department, Pascrell’s hometown fire department, posted a message on its Facebook page about his death: “…Congressman Pascrell was a champion of the fire service, public safety, and the City of Paterson. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family. The Paterson Fire Department pledges to continue its efforts to provide the best possible fire protection to the great people of Paterson. May he rest in peace.”
During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Pascrell pushed for legislation that would help emergency responders do their jobs more efficiently and safely.
“Congressman Pascrell was a legislator you always wanted on your side,” said Bill Webb, executive director of CFSI. “He didn’t take no for an answer, but fought with determination. His persistence was a key factor in establishing the grant programs and maintaining them over the last 20 years.”
In 2014, he was named co-chair of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus. In recognition of his service to fire and emergency services, the CFSI presented the Congressman with its Legislator of the Year award in 2001, 2005, and 2016.
The board of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation also recognized his contributions.
“A tireless advocate for the health and safety of emergency responders, Congressman Pascrell sponsored legislation to create the National Firefighter Cancer Registry and fought to expand the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB) to cover occupational cancers. He fought for the safety of the public by supporting incentives to retrofit commercial buildings and high-rise residential buildings with automatic sprinkler systems… His service to this great nation will be felt for decades to come and he will be truly missed.”
