WASHINGTON – Workshops sponsored by the U.S. Fire Administration and by the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be held beginning today in Bangor, Caribou and other Maine communities to answer questions about the 2002 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The program provides funding to fire departments for training and equipment.

Last year, the USFA provided $100 million to more than 1,500 fire departments nationwide, including in Maine, according to U.S. Rep. John Baldacci, who co-sponsored the bill establishing the grant program.

“With added homeland security demands being placed on our local governments, this federal initiative is even more valuable than originally envisioned,” Baldacci said. “I hope all interested fire officials in Maine will attend one of the upcoming workshops.”

The workshops will be held:

. Feb. 8, 9 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Bangor Central Fire Station.

. Feb. 9, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Caribou/Loring Fire Department.

. Feb. 14, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cross State Office Building, Augusta .

. Feb. 14, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gardiner Area High School, Gardiner.

. Feb. 15, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Southern Maine Technical College, South Portland.

. Feb. 15, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Biddeford Fire Station, Biddeford.