This Funding Will Allow the City of Fredericksburg to Enhance Security at Emergency Operations Center, Install New Equipment for Personnel, & Expand Capacity at Emergency Communications Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Biden on Saturday signed into law U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger’s legislation that will provide $637,195 for renovations, security enhancements, and upgraded equipment to prevent the disruption of government operations at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located at the Fredericksburg Police Headquarters.

This investment — which Spanberger secured as part of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate-passed fiscal year (FY)2024 appropriations package — will allow the City of Fredericksburg to upgrade security at the EOC and the E-911 Emergency Communications Center. Additionally, this funding will allow for the installation of new monitors and computer workstations to improve decision making and access to records, files, and electronic communications by EOC personnel. This funding will also allow the City of Fredericksburg to install new consoles for dispatchers to manage an increased number of calls and maintain lines with first responders during emergency situations.

“Public services are the backbone of our community. The City of Fredericksburg is consistently pursuing state and federal grant opportunities to offset the cost of core infrastructure priorities,” said Mayor Kerry P. Devine, City of Fredericksburg. “We have worked recently with the Federal Economic Development Authority at Riverfront Park and received a $1.2 million award, and with the Commonwealth of Virginia on wastewater treatment plant upgrades and received three awards totaling $56 million. This is exciting news that Congresswoman Spanberger has secured an additional $637,000 award for public safety security enhancements and we are grateful to have such support.”

“We are thrilled Representative Spanberger has supported in increasing the security of Fredericksburg’s Emergency Operations Center, which plays a crucial role in providing information quickly to public safety,” said Chief Brian Layton, Fredericksburg Police Department. “This grant will greatly benefit our public safety employees and the entire City of Fredericksburg.”

“I’m proud to deliver this funding to help the City of Fredericksburg meet a demonstrated need in the community, and I’m grateful to the local leaders and administrators who worked directly with my office for their clear commitment to keeping Virginians safe,” said Spanberger. “These federal dollars will help make sure that the public servants who work to keep their community safe have the resources and support they need to do their jobs. With this federal investment, public safety employees can improve their ability to quickly relay information to the public, commit resources to address emergencies, and get help to their neighbors.”

Earlier this month, Spanberger secured and President Biden signed into law more than $12.2 million for 14 community-focused projects for infrastructure, transportation, public safety, and accessibility needs in Virginia’s Seventh District.

BACKGROUND

For FY2024, the U.S. House of Representatives allowed for specific Community Project Funding requests — as it did in FY2023. Spanberger worked directly with community leaders in localities across Virginia’s Seventh District to gather community-focused requests for her submissions. Click here for the full list of her submissions.

The Community Project Funding process was created to ensure that Members of Congress — in concert with the communities they represent — may submit direct applications for federal funding to support locally planned projects as part of the yearly appropriations process.

To be eligible, projects must be sponsored by local or state government entities or non-profit organizations and must be projects that would otherwise meet the qualifications to apply for federal grant funding. The purpose of Community Project Funding is to ensure direct, local engagement as part of the federal appropriations process. In line with this goal, funding applications needed to demonstrate significant local support for the projects.

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