Dearborn Fire Department awarded $878,000 from FEMA

DEARBORN, Mich (FOX 2) - The Dearborn Fire Department was recently awarded $877,961 in money from a competitive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant.

The money, awarded through the Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, will be utilized to purchase vital equipment such as new radios for fire ground communications and turnout gear washing machines to reduce cancer exposure to firefighters. 

The grant also awards funding for technical rescue, and large incident multi-casualty training courses. Finally, the grant awards funding for firefighter health and wellness programs including: physical fitness assessments for all firefighters, physical fitness training and education.

"The Dearborn Fire Department is grateful for this much needed grant award. This funding will allow us to replace life-saving equipment, provide quality training, and institute programs which will improve the health and wellness of our firefighters," Fire Chief Joseph Murray said. 

Since his appointment as chief in 2012, Murray and his team have aggressively pursued grant funding at the federal, state and local level and have successfully obtained over $30 million dollars. 

This grant funding has provided funds for equipment, vehicles, staffing and programs throughout the years, which have helped the Dearborn Fire Department maintain high quality emergency services even during difficult economic times.
 

(Photo: City of Dearborn)