Sen. Carper Spends Thursday, January 5, 2006 in Kent County

Dover, DE (January 4. 2006) – On Thursday, January 5, 2006, Senator Tom Carper will start his day with a visit to the Harrington Fire Company to see how the $122,000 grant that was announced last year has benefited the fire station. The fire company recently received some of the equipment that was purchased through this federal grant. The funding was part of $650 million in grants distributed to fire departments throughout the U.S. as part of the Fiscal Year 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP). The AFGP awards one-year grants directly to fire departments to support the nation’s firefighters and the services they provide. The fire company received the money through the “Operations and Firefighter Safety” program. Senator Carper is a senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate panel with jurisdiction over the fire service and our nation’s homeland security efforts. The Senator’s next stop takes him to Delaware State University (DSU), where he will join DSU President Allen Sessoms to announce $3,250,000 in federal funding for a Hydrogen Storage Facility on campus. The Center for Hydrogen Storage Research would compliment the fuel cell technology that currently exists in the state. The primary focus of the center would be finding novel materials that can store and release large quantities of hydrogen gas for vehicular propulsion. Materials presently under consideration include metal hydrides and certain types of complex hydrides known as alanates. The center would be involved in all aspects of hydrogen storage research including: fabricating and testing the materials, determining the amount of hydrogen that can be absorbed and released, determining the thermodynamic stability of the materials, and measuring the kinetics of uptake and release. A supporter of alternative energy, the Senator will tour the facility, visit the proposed site, and learn about how the funding will enhance the future of fuel cell technology in Delaware. Senator Carper will then visit Lake Forest North Elementary School, where he will tour their early childhood program and classrooms, and then meet with third and fourth graders to talk about the Constitution. In honor of Sen. Carper’s visit, the school will be hosting red, white and blue day. Lake Forest Elementary has 625 students in grades pre-kindergarten through fourth grades. Thursday, January 5, 2006 9:00 am – 9:45 am Tour of Harrington Fire Company Harrington Fire Company 20 Clark Street Harrington 10:15 am – 11:15 am Announces Funding & Tours Hydrogen Storage Facility* Delaware State University Route 13 Luna I. Mishoe Science Center Room 205 Dover *tour will begin from Room 205 at 10:30 am 12:45 am – 2:00 pm Visit to School & Talks to Students about Constitution Lake Forest North Elementary 319 East Main Street Felton