Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry announced two U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grants totaling $113,703 for local fire departments in Caldwell County.

The grants will go to the Yadkin Valley Volunteer Fire Department in the amount of $26,991 and to the North Catawba Fire-Rescue Department in the amount of $86,712.  Both departments serve largely rural response areas of Caldwell County.

The grants come in the fifteenth and sixteenth rounds of this year’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which aims to help firefighters and first responders throughout the country.  Local departments applied for the grants, and the program is administered by the Department’s Preparedness Directorate’s Office of Grants and Training. 

This is North Catawba Fire-Rescue’s second straight year in receiving an AFG Grant and its third in the last four years.  According to Chief Randy Swanson, “We plan to use these funds to make improvement to our fire station, purchase a thermal imaging camera and upgrade our communications equipment.”  Chief Swanson continued, “I want to thank Congressman McHenry for his steadfast support of the AFG Program and for all he has done for our district’s firefighters and emergency responders – he has been there every step of the way.”

Yadkin Valley VFD is receiving its first AFG Grant in recent years and will use the funds to purchase breathing apparatus and communications equipment.

“With today’s tough economy, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is absolutely crucial, especially for volunteer departments,” stated Congressman McHenry.  “Barbeques and fundraisers simply aren’t sufficient to cover the costs of the advanced equipment necessary to protect our fire service personnel.  It has been my honor to work closely with fire, rescue and other emergency service providers to help them get the resources they need to protect our communities.”

Congressman McHenry has made several visits to the North Catawba Fire-Rescue and was recently named an honorary member of the department.

Last fiscal year, twenty-eight departments in the Tenth Congressional District received AFG funding for a total of $3,138,123 in funds disbursed.  Thus far in this year’s fiscal cycle, $743,690 has been awarded to thirteen departments in the Tenth District.

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