An Ohio senator announced a federal government grant of over $100,000 to the Athens Fire Department to improve operations and safety for both firefighters and the residents they protect.
The department was awarded $134,676 in the sixth round of competitive grants from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program, according to a news release from Sen. Sherrod Brown.
The program is funded by the Federal Emergency Agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's, according to the release.
“Our first responders put their lives on the line every day across Ohio,” Brown said in the release. “These funds ensure that firefighters in Athens County have the resources they need to perform their jobs safely.”
The program is designed to strengthen the nation’s general level of preparedness and capacity to respond to fires and the dangers that accompany them, according to the release.
The program's grants are awarded to departments and emergency medical organizations that are not directly affiliated with a hospital in an effort to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, according to the release.
Athens Fire Chief Bob Troxel and a spokesman from FEMA were unable to be reached for comment.
