TEN ADDITIONAL MISSISSIPPI FIRE DEPTS. LAND FEMA GRANTS
Cochran & Wicker Note $711,686 in FEMA Fire Assistance Grant Awards for State
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today reported the award of $711,686 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to 10 municipal and volunteer fire departments in Mississippi.
The FY2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) awards will be used by local and volunteer fire departments to support operations and safety projects. This series of grants is going to departments in Batesville, Clarksdale, Crenshaw, Greenwood, Laurel, Long Beach, Lucedale, Rienzi and Thaxton.
“I am pleased that Mississippi fire departments have successfully applied for these FEMA resources. This grant funding will supplement local resources to improve the overall public safety,” said Cochran, who serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
“The important service provided by Mississippi’s firefighters keeps our communities safe,” said Wicker. “I appreciate FEMA approving these funds, which will help equip our firefighters with the tools they need to do their jobs and help protect the public.”
The AFG grant program was funded by Congress in the FY2009 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis by FEMA in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. Fire departments and emergency medical service organizations that are not affiliated with a hospital may apply for operations and safety or vehicle acquisition funding.
Operations and safety grants may be used for training and equipment, as well as health and safety modifications to stations and facilities. Vehicle acquisition funds may be applied to a variety of eligible vehicles, ranging from pumpers to rescue vehicles to fireboats.
The following FY2009 Assistance for Firefighters Grant Program awards have been approved for Mississippi:
Vehicle Acquisition
- Sharon Volunteer Fire Department, Laurel – $190,000
Operations and Safety
- Powers Volunteer Fire Department, Laurel – $112,471
- Crenshaw Volunteer Fire Department, Crenshaw – $83,419
- Long Beach Fire Department, Long Beach – $60,992
- Greenwood Fire Department, Greenwood – $59,850
- Basin Volunteer Fire Department, Lucedale – $55,110
- Thaxton Volunteer Fire Department, Thaxton – $49,305
- Mount Olivet Fire Department, Batesville – $45,336
- Bobo Volunteer Fire Department, Clarksdale – $39,000
- Jacinto Volunteer Fire Department, Rienzi – $15,303
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