Our nation’s firefighters — especially in small, rural departments such as those across Northeast Michigan — need all the help they can get to do their dangerous, critical, lifesaving jobs.

That’s why it’s important for Congress to renew some fire department funding programs set to expire soon.

News staff writer Steve Schulwitz reported recently that U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan, has authored a bill to reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program and the Assistance to Firefighters grant program and to provide funding to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Peters told Schulwitz the U.S. Fire Administration would see its allocation increased to $95 million — up from the current $75 million — and the other programs would remain funded at current levels.

Those programs have real impacts in Northeast Michigan.

Alpena Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe said the township intends to apply for an Assistance to Firefighters grant soon to help cover the cost of a new fire truck. And the city in 2021 received a grant for nearly $50,000 to purchase a specialized air compressor that fills the air tanks firefighters wear to help them breathe during fires.

The programs help save lives.

We call on Congress to approve Peters’ legislation quickly to make sure those programs can continue helping firefighters do what they need to do to keep us safe.