Keith Bain, Fire Chief Ernest Roberts, ladies and gentleman,good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to be here today.

Just a few weeks ago, for the first time, I had the opportunity to see Ground Zero in New York city. It was humbling and inspiring to see the work happening at the site - work that will show, ultimately, the strength and resiliency of the human spirit. This memorial speaks volumes about the types of individuals who give their lives to help save others.

Protecting people and their property is a demanding and dangerous job, and I know I speak on behalf of all Nova Scotians when I say that we appreciate how much emergency service providers contribute to our society. And on many occasions, these individuals work on a volunteer basis, giving up their free time to help safeguard families and properties across the province.

That's why I am proud to announce today that my government will provide a 5-million dollar funding program to support these brave individuals. This is in addition to the income tax credit for volunteer firefighters that we introduced this spring.

This new funding program targets several important groups including:

• Volunteer firefighters
• Non-affiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations
• Ground Search & Rescue organizations, and
• Non-affiliated Hazardous Material organizations

Now, through this fund, they can apply to cover up to 60 per cent of eligible costs with a maximum of $250,000 dollars. This funding will be used to purchase equipment like the jaws of life, pumps, hoses, and defibrillators. New construction and upgrades to existing equipment facilities are also eligible for funding under this program.

This province is committed to ensuring that these men and women have the proper equipment to preform their duties safely and effectively.

Thank you.