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Media Contact: Kim Wittig FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 12, 2019 Administrative Captain Office: (252) 972-1384 Mobile: (252) 343-3170 Fire Department awarded Assistance for Firefighters Grant from FEMA Rocky Mount, N.C.- The city of Rocky Mount Fire Department received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, that their Fiscal Year 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) submitted in October of 2018 has been approved for award. The primary goal of the AFG 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, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies. Each grant application undergoes multiple reviews and scoring by teams of volunteers from the fire service from organizations all over the country. Because of the extensive review process and receiving over 8,400 grants for the 2018 application cycle, it has taken 10 months for the first round of grants to be awarded. Rocky Mount Fire Department Administrative Captain Kim Wittig said the news of the grant award was a pleasant surprise. "Although we have had some success in the past with applying for AFG grants, you never know how things will go when you apply," stated Wittig. "There are so many agencies across the country that have unmet needs for day to day operations, so this particular grant process is very competitive. The long waiting period has a tendency to make you think you aren’t getting funded, so we were ecstatic to get the news of the award." The grant award totaling $154,091, will allow each of the department’s stations to be outfitted with heavy duty washers and dryers specialized for cleaning turnout gear and removing the deadly carcinogens that are deposited on the gear during structural firefighting. Currently, the department has one machine approved for gear washing. That washer is 25 years old and only has the capacity to wash one set of gear at a time, making the process for cleaning an entire crew after a fire very time consuming. Cancer has quickly become the leading cause of death for firefighters, and Rocky Mount has not been immune. Eight retirees within the last few years have been diagnosed, and a recent voluntary cancer screening by cancerdogs.ca indicated 33 of the 127 members tested positive for cancer indicators. According to Wittig, "As with any organization, the Rocky Mount Fire Department's personnel continue to be its number one resource, and their safety is the department's highest priority. The department strives to adhere to all of the life safety initiatives identified as part of the ‘Everyone Goes Home’ campaign from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Thanks to the continued support of our city manager and council we have been able to provide our firefighters with two sets of gear. That, combined with this funding from the AFG program to keep that gear clean, means we can virtually eliminate the possibility that a firefighter ever has to take the chance of wearing contaminated gear. It was well worth the 10-month wait to get this exciting news for our firefighters." Fire Chief Corey Mercer agreed. "Our greatest asset is our people. Our ability to protect lives and property in our community is dependent upon protecting the lives of our employees while they work," stated Mercer. "Having healthy, well equipped people with clean gear and significantly reducing their chance of being diagnosed with cancer affords us the opportunity to continue our mission to serve the city of Rocky Mount by protecting lives and property through quality and xxcellence in service. We are grateful for the AFG program and the opportunities it provides for us to purchase equipment that will protect our firefighters and our community."
Media Contact: Kim Wittig FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sept. 12, 2019 Administrative Captain
Office: (252) 972-1384
Mobile: (252) 343-3170
Fire Department awarded Assistance for Firefighters Grant from FEMA
Rocky Mount, N.C.- The city of Rocky Mount Fire Department received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, that their Fiscal Year 2018 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) submitted in October of 2018 has been approved for award.
The primary goal of the AFG 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, nonaffiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations and State Fire Training Academies. Each grant application undergoes multiple reviews and scoring by teams of volunteers from the fire service from organizations all over the country. Because of the extensive review process and receiving over 8,400 grants for the 2018 application cycle, it has taken 10 months for the first round of grants to be awarded.
Rocky Mount Fire Department Administrative Captain Kim Wittig said the news of the grant award was a pleasant surprise. "Although we have had some success in the past with applying for AFG grants, you never know how things will go when you apply," stated Wittig. "There are so many agencies across the country that have unmet needs for day to day operations, so this particular grant process is very competitive. The long waiting period has a tendency to make you think you aren’t getting funded, so we were ecstatic to get the news of the award."
The grant award totaling $154,091, will allow each of the department’s stations to be outfitted with heavy duty washers and dryers specialized for cleaning turnout gear and removing the deadly carcinogens that are deposited on the gear during structural firefighting. Currently, the department has one machine approved for gear washing. That washer is 25 years old and only has the capacity to wash one set of gear at a time, making the process for cleaning an entire crew after a fire very time consuming.
Cancer has quickly become the leading cause of death for firefighters, and Rocky Mount has not been immune. Eight retirees within the last few years have been diagnosed, and a recent voluntary cancer screening by cancerdogs.ca indicated 33 of the 127 members tested positive for cancer indicators.
According to Wittig, "As with any organization, the Rocky Mount Fire Department's personnel continue to be its number one resource, and their safety is the department's highest priority. The department strives to adhere to all of the life safety initiatives identified as part of the ‘Everyone Goes Home’ campaign from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Thanks to the continued support of our city manager and council we have been able to provide our firefighters with two sets of gear. That, combined with this funding from the AFG program to keep that gear clean, means we can virtually eliminate the possibility that a firefighter ever has to take the chance of wearing contaminated gear. It was well worth the 10-month wait to get this exciting news for our firefighters."
Fire Chief Corey Mercer agreed. "Our greatest asset is our people. Our ability to protect lives and property in our community is dependent upon protecting the lives of our employees while they work," stated Mercer. "Having healthy, well equipped people with clean gear and significantly reducing their chance of being diagnosed with cancer affords us the opportunity to continue our mission to serve the city of Rocky Mount by protecting lives and property through quality and xxcellence in service. We are grateful for the AFG program and the opportunities it provides for us to purchase equipment that will protect our firefighters and our community."