WASHINGTON, D.C.–Helping your firefighters do their jobs better, and with better equipment is the goal with a $1.4 million shot in the arm to 16 Mississippi fire departments. The money is coming from the federal government.
The announcement was Monday afternoon by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). It’s part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), and Mississippi fire departments got the grants through a competitive process.
Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration, the grants will assist the departments as they acquire new equipment and train their firefighters.
“Firefighters and other first responders protect and serve us at a great personal risk,” said Cochran, who serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over FEMA. “I am pleased that these grants will help ensure that they are as well-equipped and well-trained as possible.”
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants, totaling $1,449,920, will support the following Mississippi fire departments:
- City of Greenville Fire Department, Greenville — $268,864
- Lafayette County Volunteer Fire Department, Oxford — $232,228
- Oktibbeha County District #5 Volunteer Fire Department, Starkville — $174,419
- Natchez Fire Department, Natchez — $147,191
- Town of Mathiston, Mathiston — $97,715
- Laurel Fire Department, Laurel — $85,932
- Shady Grove Volunteer Fire Department, Laurel — $70,858
- Longtown Fire Department, Crenshaw — $69,779
- Pope Volunteer Fire Department, Pope — $59,872
- Myrtle Volunteer Fire Department, Myrtle — $44,762
- Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department, Hickory Flat — $42,667
- Brandon Fire Department, Brandon — $40,910
- Mount Olivet Fire Department, Batesville — $39,155
- Hattiesburg Fire Department, Hattiesburg — $25,662
- Metcalfe Volunteer Fire Department, Metcalfe — $24,953
- Mount Olive Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Mount Olive — $24,953
