Today, Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10) announced $88,540 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 Crossnore Volunteer Fire Department in Avery County, and comes in the twelfth round of the 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.

“Helping our emergency services is one of my top priorities, and I am pleased that Crossnore Volunteer Fire Department has received these funds in the twelfth round of Assistance to Firefighter Grants,” said Congressman McHenry. “This grant will enable the department to purchase new equipment to protect personnel and thereby improve their ability to save the lives of others.”

Thus far, twenty-six fire departments in the Tenth District have received AFG grants for a total of $1,800,009. This year’s awards will continue to be announced in rounds for the next several weeks.