Fire departments in Waterville and Fort Scott to receive grants

Two Kansas fire departments have been selected to receive federal grants to enhance their capabilities and promote safety, Governor Kathleen Sebelius said today.

“This support will put additional resources into the hands of the men and women who go to work every day, ready to risk their lives for their neighbors.  It will help equip them with the tools they need to stay safe while they work to protect our communities,” said Sebelius. 

The Waterville Fire Department is to receive $47,614 and the Fort Scott Fire Department will receive $29,210.  Both grants come from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Since 2001, more than $3.3 billion from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program has been distributed to first-responder organizations to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment and vehicles. A highly competitive program, FEMA received more than 20,000 applications requesting more than $3 billion in funding in 2007.

For more information about the grant program, visit http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/faq/07/.

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