Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) announced $582,417 in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant to a local fire department in the Tenth Congressional District.

The grant will go to the Newton Fire Department in Catawba County, and comes in the second round of this year’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant awards. SAFER Grants assist local fire departments by providing funding to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities enabling them to respond to emergencies whenever they may occur. Local departments applied for the grants from the program which is administered by the Grant Programs Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. 

Newton Fire Chief Kevin Yoder explained that the grant will allow the department to hire six new full-time career firefighters. “This grant will enable us to add two positions to each of our three shifts,” said Chief Yoder. “From a readiness and manpower standpoint, this is crucial for a growing community.”

This is the latest in a series of FEMA grants that Newton has received.  The department received two Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) equipment grants as well as a Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant in recent years.

“It is a real pleasure to once again recognize the Newton Fire Department for their outstanding work,” said Congressman McHenry. “The SAFER Grant is the hardest of the Fire Act grants to get but its impact on a community can be tremendous.  I look forward to once again visiting with Chief Yoder and his department to congratulate them for this tremendous achievement.”

"Congressman McHenry has been no stranger to the Newton Fire Department or to our community,” Chief Yoder continued. “We appreciate his support of the SAFER program and the fire service."

Newton is the first Tenth District department to receive SAFER funding in the FY 2016 grant cycle. Grants will continue to be announced in weekly rounds throughout the coming months.