West Mason Fire was awarded a $64,658 grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. This grant covers 95% of the requested amount, with a 5% match to be paid by West Mason Fire.
These funds, awarded on August 3rd, 2020, will be used to purchase new fire hose, fittings, and nozzles, improving response capability and improving firefighter safety on-scene and during training evolutions.
Fire hose is tested annually in accordance with National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) guidelines, and replaced when those tests fail. Though the NFPA does not require fire hose to be replaced every 10 years, it is strongly recommended. In the past, West Mason Fire has replaced failed sections of hose with the purchase or donation of surplussed hose from other departments around the state who have been fortunate to replace outdated hose with new hose. Fire hose that is currently used by West Mason Fire ranges in years from 1970's to current, and hoses and fittings may not match from apparatus to apparatus, further complicating training and response time.
We are grateful to have received this generous award and look forward to making this necessary update for our community.
For information about the AFG program, visit the FEMA website at: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/assistance-grants
