Tuesday, June, 20 2023

Nature: Indian River Accepts Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Award

Location: Station #1 – Oak Orchard

Address:  32628 Oak Orchard Road, Millsboro, DE  19966

Indian River Accepts AFG Grant Award for Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant's (AFG) primary objective is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards by providing direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments, non-affiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations, and State Fire Training Academies. This funding provides critically needed resources to equip and train emergency first responder personnel to recognized standards, enhance operations efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company needs to replace and update approximately sixty-five (65) sets of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) with an estimated costs of $245,674.  Therefore, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company has been pursuing alternative funding options and applying for grant opportunities.

Recently, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company was awarded $112,451 via the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) funding.  This initiative to replace the firefighter PPE consist of replacement and/or updating entire sets of firefighter turn-out gear such as bunker pants and coat, helmets, boots, nomex hoods, gloves, and other equipment.  This grant award will target complete replacement of thirty-six (36) sets of firefighter PPE and will benefit firefighters from our Oak Orchard and Long Neck communities.

This grant award will allow Indian River to update a significant portion of its firefighter PPE.  This grant award documentation was created with the coordination of a professional grant writing firm and our internal grant coordinator.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company will need to match 10% for funding requirements which amounts to $11,245 and continue pursuing other funding options for the remainder of the firefighter PPE need.