Fifteen years ago, when a terrorist attack on the United States saw the twin World Trade Center towers in New York City collapse into rubble after two passenger jets were flown into them, 343 New York firefighters who responded to the scene lost their lives.
Frequently, that honor includes giving a local emergency response vehicle the number “343,” in recognition of the New York City Fire Department personnel who lost their lives as a result of the attacks.
Earlier this year, Athens-Clarke County joined the ranks of those communities, as a new $800,000 ladder truck, based at Station 3 in Five Points, was christened “Ladder 343.”
Today, the 15th anniversary of 9/11, marks the first anniversary of the attacks since the truck has been in service. The new truck replaces and updates Ladder 3, a fire truck that has been in service for 27 years and has now been placed in reserve status, a first for the Athens-Clarke
County Fire & Emergency Services Department.
In addition to the “343” designation, the new ladder truck includes the New York department’s FDNY designation and a graphic depicting the New York fire department’s patch.
The truck’s designation was the idea of Assistant Fire Chief Kyle Hendrix, who wrote New York City Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro to notify him that Athens-Clarke County had taken steps to remember the fallen New York firefighters.
In the letter, Hendrix told Nigro that Ladder 343 will serve Athens-Clarke County “as a reminder of the heroism and tragedy of that fateful day” and will honor “the courage, heroism and sacrifice of your firefighters.”
In June, when the truck was delivered to the county, a ceremony noting the significance of its special designation was held at City Hall. At that ceremony, Athens-Clarke County Fire Chief Jeff Scarbrough recounted the work of New York firefighters at the World Trade Center towers, citing reports that civilians who made it out of the north tower, the first to be hit, said “the presence of firefighters gave them a sense of calm.”
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Posted: Sep 12, 2016
ANN ARBOR TOWNSHIP, MI - Nearly a dozen fire departments near Ann Arbor are getting new fire hoses thanks to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant. The federal department's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is giving the Ann Arbor Township Fire Department a $187,941 regional grant for 11 fire departments in Washtenaw and western Wayne counties.
The funds will purchase more than 56,000 feet of new fire hose, said Ann Arbor Township Fire Chief Brian Thurston.
Ann Arbor Township Fire Department will distribute the grant money to the Augusta Township, Belleville, Chelsea Area, Manchester Township, Salem Township, Sumpter Township, Superior Township, Van Buren Township, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township fire departments.
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Posted: Sep 12, 2016
HODGES -- With a 1980s model firetruck reaching the age of retirement, Hodges-Cokesbury Volunteer Fire Department found itself needing a new truck to meet the 4,000-gallon on-site water requirement. "We have 2,250 gallons on site, which is short of the requirement," said Fire Chief Rodney Jones.
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."
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Posted: Sep 12, 2016
"If nobody knows about a fire we can't do anything about it." The Bucksport Fire Department will be receiving some help to keep their community safe. The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA, has awarded the department two grants, totaling close to 300 thousand dollars.
“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.”
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