Sugar Hill VFD receives grant
By CASEY BUECHEL - Tribune Staff Writer
Saturday, November 15, 2008 12:33 PM CST
The Sugar Hill Volunteer Fire Department (SHVFD) has received a $32,063 grant from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Grants and Training.
Senator John Cornyn's officer made the announcement of the grant award earlier this week.
"This funding will help ensure that first responders have the resources to keep Texas communities safe," said Cornyn.
According to the terms of the grant, the money can be used for training and support operations and to purchase firefighter safety and rescue equipment.
"We plan to use the money to purchase an air trailer for our department," said SHVFD Chief Jerry Clark.
Air trailers, which are used to refill the air bottles on firefighter air packs at the scene of a fire, are rarely found in volunteer fire departments.
At the moment, the only air trailer in Titus County is part of the Mount Pleasant Fire Department.
"We fell this is a necessary purchase because we have a large percentage of our department that is trained in structure fire response," said Clark.
"In addition to use by our department, the trailer will also be available to the Talco VFD and other departments if needed," Clark said.
A second air trailer in Titus County will give enormous support to all the other fire departments in the area in case first responders are called to more than one fire at a time.
"This is the fourth grant we have received from the Department of Homeland Security and we really owe Michelle Clark, who serves with us in the department, an enormous debt for the way she stays on top of the grants available to fire departments," said SHVFD president Lavonne Hearron.
"Because of Michelle's attention to what grants are available and her grant-writing ability, our department has a rural fire engine, new airpacks, bunker gear and, now, we'll be able to have an air trailer available to rehab our area firefighters at the scene of a fire," she said.
Both Chief Clark and president Hearron thanked Senator Cornyn's office for his assistance in the grant process.
Cornyn has held roundtable discussions across Texas as part of his continuing efforts to support the work of first responders.
