(MURFREESBORO) Rutherford County Fire and Rescue has been awarded $247,000 in grants.

Chief Larry Farley explained . . .

The Assistance to Firefighters and Fire Prevention and Safety Grants through FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. These grants provide resources to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel. The grants must be approved by the county commission, which meets in mid-October.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

The Fire Prevention and Safety Grants are part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). The primary goal is to reduce injury and prevent deaths through fire safety education, and smoke detector installation throughout the community, including the unincorporated areas of Rutherford County.

Chief Farley noted that the $247,000 in grants must be approved by the Rutherford County Commission before they are accepted. In addition, this is in addition to the $1.7-million grants from FEMA to add fifteen additional firefighters. That was awarded in August, 2018.