Published: October 18, 2006 12:30 pm            

Joey Hand letter

NEWTON — I have learned in the last few months that some people in this County don’t think the Fire Service has gotten any grant funds as compared to Emergency Management/Homeland Security.

Well let me set the record straight. $682,565 of Assistance to Firefighters Grants have been awarded by FEMA since 2003. $8,000 in grant money has been awarded from the Ms Forestry Commission. Just to round it off, $1,000,000 (what it cost new) in Federal Excess Property Program equipment is in use by the Fire Departments in the county today, this includes brush trucks, tankers, pumps, hose, generators and other equipment. This equipment does not cost anything except a little paint, maintenance and a place to house it. All of the grants the Fire Service applies for are competitive, this means the need for the money has be explained in detail and the equipment is needed for daily operations. Most of the Emergency Management/Homeland Security money is handed out by a formula that means they get a check and then spend it on what they want or need. Beulah Hubbard FD has received a $2,000 Forestry Grant, has a FEMA Grant pending in 2006 for $30,400 and will receive a new pumper this year provided by the County. Chunky FD received 45,269 from a FEMA Grant in 2004 for equipment (turnout gear, SCBA, lights, generator, etc.), $230,000 for a new pumper/tanker/rescue from a FEMA Grant last week. The 5% match money for the new truck will come from the State so the new truck will cost the department absolutely nothing. Conehatta FD has received a $2,000 Forestry Grant, $46,759 from a FEMA Grant for equipment in 2004, and $210,000 from a FEMA Grant in 2005 for a new pumper/tanker/rescue truck. In my opinion this new truck kept Conehatta FD from closing its doors because a week after the new truck was delivered the engine blew up in the old pumper that would hardly pumper water anyway. Greenfield FD has received a $2,000 Forestry Grant, $62,286 from a FEMA Grant for equipment in 2003, $28,341 from a FEMA Grant for equipment in 2004 and has a FEMA Grant for $220,000 for 2006 pending. Greenfield FD will also receive a new pumper from the County this year. Hickory FD has received a $2,000 Forestry Grant, $43,340 from a FEMA Grant in 2003 for equipment, $16,570 from a FEMA Grant in 2004 for equipment and has $10,260 in a FEMA Grant pending in 2006. Decatur FD, Duffee FD, Gibbstown-Lawrence FD, Newton FD and Union FD all have received various grants but I don’t the details because I wasn’t involved in assisting them with the grants. So in a nutshell there has been about $1.5 million in equipment and trucks received in Newton County that other wise we would not have. I want the thank Sheriff Knight for allowing the trustees to paint the FEPP equipment; this has been a great help since we lost our workshop to Emergency Management. Remember the average budget for each Fire Department is $12,000, some from the 1 mil tax levy and the other from Insurance Rebate Funds received from the State. These grants go a long way in making the Fire Protection better in Newton County. We hope to get some of the County in a lower Class insurance rating this fall, the State Rating Bureau is reviewing the paper work at this time and will let us know what the next step is. This is all I have for now.

Thanks,

Joey Hand

Newton County Fire Coordinator

        

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