The fire department applied for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant that came into existence shortly after Sept. 11, 2001. The grant was designed by the federal government to assist fire departments in readiness to response calls. 

The department was awarded a grant for more than $285,000. The grant requires a more than $14,000 local match, which Greenwood County will pay from the Greenwood County Fire Reserve Fund. 

"The main reason was to replace a 1980 model truck that was no longer mechanically sound," said Steve Holmes, county fire coordinator. 

The fire department is already shopping for a new fire truck. The new truck order is expected to be placed in about two weeks, according to Jones. Once the order has been placed, the fire department must have the truck on site within 275 days of the initial order. 

Because the grant is through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the old truck will no longer be available to the department for use and can be sold for personal use or scrap, according to Holmes. 

"Anytime you're awarded a FEMA grant, you have to get rid of it," said Jones. "It can't go back into the fire service."

“The intent of that is to install a combination 10-year smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector in each room and two additional smoke detectors in sleeping areas in every single family and two-family dwelling in Bucksport and Verona island.”

Some of the money will also be used to buy better equipment for first responders and a defibrillator for one of the ambulance trucks.

“This opportunity gives us a chance to give back to the taxpayers, create a safer environment for the citizens, create a safer environment for our firefighters.”

This isn’t the first time Bucksport has received federal aid. In fact, a lot of the equipment in the department, including this truck, was paid for with FEMA Grants.”

The chief says the grant gives back to citizens who are lack the basic needs for fire prevention, like smoke alarms.

“A lot of homes we find their outdated they don’t work, they don’t have batteries in them or their non existent . The plan is for 10 years hopefully people will be probably be protected. It’s going to amount to the Community getting back over $100 worth of materials.”

The fire department will be getting a 2016 Smeal Metro Star model rear-mount aerial "quint," which is described as an apparatus that provides versatility in firefighting as it includes pump capacity similar to a fire engine, on-board water storage, a mid-size aerial ladder, fire hose and ground ladders.

"This purchase is an integral part of an ongoing program to correctly size the Fire Department's fleet and will allow the fleet to remain in compliance with NFPA 1901 standard for fire apparatus service life, which recommends that an apparatus stay in front line service for no longer then 15 years and be removed from service completely after 25 years," reads a memo to council from Matt Kulhanek, the city's fleet and facility manager.

The new truck is expected to be delivered in December. It will replace a 2001 Pierce fire engine, which will be retained as a reserve engine that will be put into service when another truck is undergoing maintenance or repairs.

No fire trucks are being sold as part of the transaction and the reserve fleet will be increased by one engine.

"The Fire Department needs a second reserve fire engine," city staff wrote in a memo to council. "Keeping this engine as part of the reserve fleet gives a backup to staff for major emergencies when members come in from home, and it also gives us a second spare rig when the other unit is already in use.

After years of borrowing fire trucks from neighboring municipalities for calls and using extrication equipment “so outdated that it’s not capable of cutting materials and alloy metals,” said Chief Neil De Jesus, the department was approved for new fire trucks, rescue vehicles and extrication equipment Tuesday evening.

City leaders approved the purchase of two amulances — one will respond to the town of Highland Beach, which will cover the cost. They will also get two new rescue trucks and six new extrication units.

The total price tag is nearly $4 million and will take more than a year to get the new equipment, city officials said.

 The station on North Soncy Road will replace Station No. 3, a dirt-floored tin barn just down the road.

“Our stations are in bad shape,” Fitzpatrick said about the need to rebuild.

Potter County has six fire stations that are staffed with four paid firefighters and 70 volunteers.

All of the stations, except the Willow Creek station, are unmanned, meaning firefighters are not housed at the facility.

Questions surrounded the need for a new station with all the amenities.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Mercy Murguia was the lone vote against spending $2 million on a new station. She said she wasn’t against the idea of building a new station, but instead about how much money the county wanted to spend on it.