Washington, D.C. – Representative Heath Shuler announced today that the Mills Spring
Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded a federal grant of $141,821 through the
Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase twenty-five complete sets of Turn-
Out Gear, which includes fire-resistant coats, pants, and gloves, as well as helmets and
boots. The Mills Spring VFD will also use the funding to purchase fourteen complete
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus units, and to develop a wellness and fitness program
and upgrade facilities. Representative Shuler submitted a letter in support of the Mill
Spring grant request, which was awarded through the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters
Grant (AFG) program.
Nationally, the AFG is used by fire departments to improve response capabilities and
more effectively protect the health and safety of firefighters and the public. The grants
also help local fire departments and emergency medical services to secure training,
conduct first responder health and safety programs, and purchase equipment and response
vehicles.
“This Congress has made a commitment to reinvesting in our local communities and
ensuring that our first responders have the tools, resources, and training they need,” said
Representative Shuler. “The brave men and women who volunteer their time and energy
to protect the families and homes in Mill Spring deserve our unending thanks, and I am
very pleased that the Fire Department will be receiving this grant.”
Charles Green, a member of the Mill Spring VFD Board of Directors and the department
chaplain was pleased with the news of the grant. “We are very grateful to Congressman
Shuler for supporting us on this grant request, and to FEMA for supporting firefighters
across the country. This is the first grant of this type that our department is receiving. It is
most welcome and most needed.”
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Download: Rep. Shuler Announces Funding for Mill Spring Fire Department
