— Three local Cullman County Fire Departments have been awarded more than $400,000 in federal grant money.

The Garden City Volunteer Fire and EMS Department will receive $29,334.

Volunteer fire chief Sonya Greathouse said they will use it for much needed radios.

“The main thing we will be using the money for will be new radios because our communication is really bad,” Greathouse said.

She said the department will also buy PASS devices for the firefighters.

Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices are designed to signal for aid via an audible alarm. Typically, PASS devices sense movement or lack of movement and activate a 95-decibel alarm signal if the lack of motion exceeds a specific time period. The loud alarm signal alerts other personnel that a firefighter has become incapacitated and it helps to guide rescue personnel to the location of the incapacitated firefighter.

“It’s extremely important for small towns like Garden City to receive these grants,” Greathouse said. “We have needed it but haven’t been able to purchase it.”

Buchanan Jackson, project coordinator with Cullman County Economic Development, said the grants are greatly needed.

“Garden City is a very small department and needed this equipment to bring them up to standard,” Jackson said.

The Logan Fire and Rescue will receive $201,757 and Crane Hill Volunteer Fire and EMS Department will receive $92,245 in federal grants.

“Logan received one of the largest equipment awards we have ever received,” Jackson said.

He said they will purchase new nozzles, hoses, a Hurst tool or Jaws of Life, air compressor to fill bottles on site, radios, new turn-out gear and receive training.

Jackson said because much of the equipment at volunteer fire departments are years old, it may cause residents fire insurance premiums to go up.

The ISO program helps establish fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties and though the program, fire departments can use new equipment to better scores to allow for insurance premiums to go down.

“A lot of this equipment will help the departments get better scores on the ISO ratings,” he said.

Brandon Williams with Crane Hill Fire Department said his department received their largest grant and the first one since 2001.

“We are going to update air packs, apply for 12 new air packs, a new air compressor and get a filler station to fill bottles,” Williams said.

He said grants are extremely important to volunteer departments.

“It’s a huge benefit to our fire department and to our community,” he said. “We would never been able to do it on our own.”

The federal grants were awarded as part of the sixth round of the Fiscal Year 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. This program awards one-year grant money directly to fire departments and EMS organizations to support them and the services they provide.

“During the current fiscal year, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program will award $565 million to first-responder organizations that need support to improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types,” Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said in a press release. “The evaluation and application process for this grant program is competitive and I’m pleased that these fire departments will be receiving this funding.”

The Operations and Safety Program can be used for training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to fire stations and facilities.

Since 2001, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program has provided approximately $4 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, fire fighting and emergency vehicles, and training.

“We could not do this without the help and support of the Cullman County Commission and we appreciate Representatives Aderholt, Shelby and Session for helping to get these grants,” Jackson said.

In the past year, more than eight local volunteer fire departments have received grants throughout the program to help with training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to fire stations and facilities.



* Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 220.