The Lafayette County Volunteer Fire Department and fifteen other Mississippi fire departments will receive more than $1.4 million to enhance their operations and safety efforts through Assistance to Firefighters Grants administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
The grants will help the departments acquire new equipment and train their firefighters.
“Firefighters and other first responders protect and serve us at a great personal risk,” said U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, (R-Miss.) “I am pleased that these grants will help ensure that they are as well-equipped and well-trained as possible.”
Cochran serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over FEMA.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants are awarded to enhance the readiness and firefighting ability of local fire departments. These grants are awarded by a competitive process overseen by fire service experts.
Totaling $1,449,920, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants support the following Mississippi Fire Departments:
- Lafayette County Volunteer Fire Department, Oxford — $232,228
- City of Greenville Fire Department, Greenville — $268,864
- 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
- Mt. Olive Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Mount Olive — $24,953
