Ten out of the 12 volunteer fire departments across Bertie County (NC) received the 2021 Volunteer Fire Department Fund Grant, totaling $198,368, reports DailyAdvance.com. The money will go toward helping the departments purchase necessary equipment.
To apply for the grant, the departments must price the equipment they want to purchase. Then they total up the final cost and submit the list.
Each fire department, excluding Windsor, must meet 25% of the grant; Windsor has to meet 50% of the grant.
Askewville officials say their department plans to purchase an equipment truck with a Cascade System.
A Blue Jay official says they plan to use the grant money for training equipment, a projector screen, and other minor equipment like a rake and shovel. They also plan to purchase truck equipment nozzles, pagers, flashlights, and turnout gear.
The Kelford Fire Department is planning to use the money to purchase a telescopic tool used for extraction, turnout gear, VHF radios, different tools for the trucks that can be used for forcible entry, and a chainsaw with chain chaps.
Merry Hill/Midway Fire Department plans to use the grant money to purchase a back-up generator for the station, to update their viper communication system, to buy some five-inch fire hoses. They will spend $10,000 and be able to put $40,000 worth of equipment in the building.
Powellsville Fire Department officials say that the department plans to use the money to purchase battery-operated Hearse tools, five pagers, turnout gear along with 10-20 five-gallon buckets of foam to dispose of kerosene and gasoline.
The Windsor Fire Department plans to use the grant money for breathing apparatuses, personal protective equipment, a thermal-imaging camera, and automated external defibrillator.
The remaining fire departments to receive a grant includes Colerain Fire Department $15,343; Lewiston Woodville Fire Department $8,210; Perrytown Fire Department $23,181; and Roxobol Fire Department $11,853.