Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) announced $128,096 in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant to a local fire department in the Tenth Congressional District.

The Fairview Volunteer Fire Department in Buncombe County received the grant which comes in the third round of this year’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG).  The AFG Program aims to help firefighters and first responders throughout the country.  Local departments apply for the grants through a program administered by the Grant Programs Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.  

Fairview Fire Chief Scott Jones indicated that the grant funds will be used to purchase an exhaust ventilation system for one of the department’s substations.  Fire engines put out a large amount of exhaust and repeated exposure to those fumes can cause health problems over time.  The exhaust removal system eliminates noxious vehicle fumes before they can be released into the vehicle bays and ultimately the rest of the fire station. 

The grant will also fund the purchase of twenty-five sets of new turnout gear, three thermal imaging cameras and a personnel accountability system for incident command situations.

“Our department will be able to make tremendous strides in firefighter safety due to this grant,” said Chief Jones.  “All of this gear and equipment will better protect our firefighters as they do their jobs.  We appreciate all that Congressman McHenry does to assist the fire service.”

“The Fairview VFD’s personnel are true professionals,” stated Congressman McHenry.  “This is the second consecutive year they have received an AFG grant which is a testimony not only to the persuasiveness of their grant narratives, but--more importantly--to the dedication of the entire department."

A panel of fire experts at DHS awards AFG grants through a competitive review process. Congressman McHenry hosts workshops for Tenth District EMS and fire departments to help guide personnel through the process and give them an inside view of what the committee looks for.  The workshops are taught by Cherryville Fire Chief Jeff Cash, a nationally recognized expert in his field and former member of DHS’s AFG review committee.  Since Congressman McHenry and Chief Cash began the program, Tenth District EMS and fire departments have consistently won more grants than departments in most of North Carolina’s other Congressional Districts.  

Fairview is both the second Tenth District department and the second Buncombe County department to receive AFG funding thus far during the 2015 cycle bringing the total awarded to Tenth District departments to $237,187. 

Grants will continue to be announced in rounds weekly through the coming months.