Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry announced a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant in the amount of $93,819 to a local fire department in the Tenth Congressional District.

The grant will go to the Hugh’s Pond Volunteer Fire Department in Gaston County, and comes in the twentieth round 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 the second grant that Hugh’s Pond VFD has received in this year’s AFG cycle.  On December 10th of last year, the department received an operations and equipment grant for $35,268.  While departments may apply for both equipment and vehicles in the same funding cycle, it is rare for two grants to be funded in the same year.  “This is a testament to the strength of their applications,” said Congressman McHenry.  This also marks Hugh’s Pond VFD’s second straight year in receiving an AFG Grant and its third in the last four years. 

According to Douglas Mabry, Board of Directors President for the department, the funds will be used to purchase a new Brush Truck.  “That is of vital importance to us given the large rural area we protect,” commented Mabry. 

“This is great news for a department that covers not only northwest Gaston County but also serves as a primary mutual-aid responder for southern Lincoln County,” stated Congressman McHenry.  “I look forward to returning to Hugh’s Pond to make a formal presentation for this grant and the grant they received in December.  Both are well deserved for a department that serves its community with professionalism and dedication.”

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, $1,008,974 has been awarded to departments in the Tenth District and at least one department in each of the district’s ten counties has received a grant.

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