Several Overton County volunteer fire departments awarded grants to purchase new firefighting equipment.
Overton County Fire Chiefs Association Chairman Scott Ray said that most fire departments in Overton County received between $40,000 and $50,000 each. Ray said departments are using the grants to purchase turnout gear, air packs, and other types of firefighting equipment. He said the grants are crucial in helping departments fight fires.
“Without these grants, you know, we just couldn’t afford it,” Ray said. “It would be hard to come up with enough cooking hot dogs and hamburgers at the fair. It takes a lot of them to pay for a $1,000 pair of pants.”
Ray said most volunteer fire departments have equipment that is more than 20 years old and needs to be replaced. He said he is glad to see volunteers who are willing to risk their lives to fight fires be better protected.
“This gear will better protect our firefighters if they go into a burning building,” Ray said. “And it’s always very dangerous. So the newer the equipment, the better the equipment.”
Ray said the grants are part of a statewide allocation of approximately $20 million awarded to volunteer fire departments. He said departments are “tickled to death” to receive grants like these, as many volunteer fire departments in rural areas struggle to find funding to keep up-to-date equipment.
“This is a big thing for a lot of small fire departments,” Ray said. “And it’s a zero-match grant, so we don’t have to come up with any of our funds to do it. It’s all through the state of Tennessee.”
Ray said this is the third time the Allons Fire Department has received funding from the program. He added that the grants are not only a big win for fire departments, but for the community as well.