Swansea gets $86K for fire equipment; Herrin $14K toward police car
U.S. Congressman Bill Enyart, D-Belleville had good news for a couple of local communities in recent days in the form of grants to assist public services.
He visited the Swansea Fire Department Tuesday to make a special presentation announcing an $86,180 a grant from the Assistance To Firefighters Grant Program for $86,180.
“The Swansea Fire Department will utilize this grant to make beneficial safety upgrades in equipment,” said Enyart. “The Assistance To Firefighters grant is an opportunity for local departments to stay up to code without the burden of finding funds within the community to pay for it.”
The Department of Homeland Security provides the grant dollars. The grant will be utilized for operations and safety, which can include professional training, wellness and fitness programs equipment, personal protective equipment, modifications to facilities, and supplies that support firefighting and non-affiliated EMS operations and safety.
Swansea Fire Department will utilize the grant specifically for thermal imaging cameras and an accountability system to track firefighters on the scene of a fire. The department will also get an air management system which allows for monitoring of individual firefighters’ air supply at the scene of a fire and allows evacuation orders to be sent through air tanks.
Enyart also announced recently a $14,000 Department of Justice grant awarded to the City of Herrin.
“I want to thank Rep. Enyart for aiding the City of Herrin,” Mayor Vic Ritter said. “This grant is for our new police car and we look forward to working with him in the future.”
The grant was awarded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions.
The JAG Program provides states and units of local governments with critical funding necessary to support a range of program areas including law enforcement, prosecution and court programs including indigent defense, prevention and education programs, corrections and community corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, crime victim and witness initiatives, and planning, evaluation, and technology improvement programs.
