For the third year in a row Wagontown has received the Assistance to Firefighters Grant for a new Brush Truck. The AFG grants are provided to companies who apply and show a need for equipment, vehicles and other firefighting related need.

This year with the help of Grant Writer John Sly, Wagontown was able to obtain a grant to replace the aging Brush 35-1 which is a 1964 Dodge Power wagon. The grant is going to be used to purchase a new brush truck that will be able to carry a crew more safely, have improved compartment space and be able to function more efficiently on the fire grounds.

The total award was for $95,000 which will allow us to purchase a vehicle compliant to today's NFPA 1906 standards which covers everything from lighting to seating in the apparatus.

For the last three years we have been able to increase our abilities to safely operate on the fire grounds with grants that replaced our hose, tools and other equipment so we can provide the best possible service to our residents and visitors.

We were also fortunate enough to be part of a regional grant with our neighboring fire departments to also obtain a grant for new radios which will be used on the counties new radio system. This saved the company and townships a great deal of money, yet ensuring our firefighters safety on the firegrounds.

In FY2013, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security received 10,691 applications for assistance in this grant program. The total amount requested was more than 2 billion dollars, however only $288 million is available in the program. Due to the lack of funding for each application, the awards are selected by a competitive award process. Approximately 20%, or roughly 2,200 applications out of the 10,691 received will receive funding assistance. The remainder will be denied for this year. We are once again fortunate enough to be one of those selected for not one, but two awards.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is administered by the department's Directorate for Preparedness through its Office of Grants and Training in cooperation with the United States Fire Administration, also a division of the Preparedness Directorate.

We would like to thank all those involved in this program and Grant Writer John Sly for the assistance we are provided with this grant.