Press Release

Congressman McHenry Announces $688,823 Homeland Security Vehicle Acquisition Grant to City of Conover Fire Department in Catawba County

U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards Assistance to Firefighter Grant funds to local department

Washington, September 16, 2022

Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) announced $688,823 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 City of Conover Fire Department in Catawba County and comes in the eighth round of the 2021 fiscal year Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which aims to help firefighters and first responders throughout the country. Local departments apply 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.

According to Conover Fire Chief Mark Hinson, the grant will be used to purchase a new rescue truck.  The truck will replace a 1991 model vehicle. 

“We have applied for this grant for several years and are absolutely thrilled to be awarded this year,” said Chief Hinson. “We cannot thank Congressman McHenry enough for his support of the fire service.” 

“This is the first vehicle acquisition grant to be awarded in the Tenth District in several years,” said Congressman McHenry. “This is the Conover Fire Department's second AFG Grant in the 2021 cycle and these funds go straight back to keeping the citizens of Conover safe and their insurance rates and taxes low.”

A panel of fire experts at DHS awards AFG grants through a competitive review process. Congressman McHenry hosts workshops for 10th 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 Tenth District fire service professionals.   

This is Conover Fire Department’s second AFG grant during the 2021 cycle. The department received an equipment grant on August 31 to purchase extrication equipment and a Lucas chest compression device.

Conover is one of nine Tenth District departments to receive AFG funding thus far during the 2021 cycle with a total of $2,253,313 in AFG funds having been awarded among those departments.

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