Farmington firefighters get unexpected federal grant
Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2008
The Far mington Fire Department will receive more than $ 40, 000 in federal grant money to purchase new equipment.
"I applied for it during the spring of 2007," said Farmington Police Chief Mark Cunningham. "At first they told me they couldn't fund it, but then the other day, they called and said they would. We were tickled to death."
The $ 43, 287 grant was made through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
"The application process was a long, drawn-out process," Cunningham said. "You have to write a narrative, show your financial needs, the population of your city and other things, like where all the subdivisions are located."
Cunningham said the fire department plans to use the money to purchase six self-contained breathing tanks, 32 wild land jumpsuits used to fight grass and brush fires, and five sets of firefighter turnout gear.
"We didn't have any wild land gear at all and our air packs really needed to be upgraded to the standards set for us," Cunningham said.
In addition to being used by Farmington firefighters to extinguish grass and brush fires, Cunningham said the wild land jump suits will also be used by members of the Rural Firefighters Association, which is made up of firefighters from Farmington and Prairie Grove.
"Members of the Rural Firefighter's Association protect cities as well as the outlying areas," he said.
AFG grants are awarded to rural fire departments throughout the year, said Kathy Watson, a spokesman for U. S. Rep. John Boozman's office. Boozman represents the Third Congressional District of Arkansas, which includes Northwest Arkansas.
"They're so important to our volunteer and smalltown fire departments because of their limited resources and not spending their limited budget on expensive items," she said. "They're awarded to rural fire departments nationwide."
Watson said the AFG program was created to enhance first responders'ability to protect the health and safety of the public.
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