Valley fire departments qualify for federal assistance

WASHINGTON — The Austintown Township Fire Department and two other local fire departments will be receiving a combined $455,590 in federal funds.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, on Thursday announced the award as an Assistance to Firefighters Grant administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"This funding will help the fire departments of Austintown, Coitsville and Craig Beach to do their jobs safely, and helping to provide this funding is one of the most important things I can do for our firefighters," Ryan said in a news release. "I congratulate Austintown Township Fire Chief Andy Frost III for his work in obtaining this grant."

"We are very grateful to receive the Assistance to Firefighter Grant through FEMA," Frost said. "The funds will be used to replace equipment that has been deemed unusable by the National Fire Protection Association, the fire service's governing body for firefighter safety and equipment.

"This is a regional grant that will help the communities of Austintown, Coitsville and Craig Beach," Frost said. "We rely heavily on alternative funding sources such as this grant to maintain our equipment while keeping the firefighters and residents safe."

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant to the Austintown Township Fire Department is part of $319.5 million being awarded from 2020 federal funds provided directly to eligible fire departments, certain EMS organizations and state fire training academies around the nation to fund critical training and equipment.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant focuses on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards.

This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 5:11 AM with the headline "Valley fire departments qualify for federal assistance."