The Rush Township Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded $75,796 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program to purchase 26 new pairs of turnout gear.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, made the announcement Tuesday.
“Ohio firefighters and first-responders work every day to protect our families,” Brown said in a statement. “We must support our first-responder organizations so that communities like Rush Township have the resources to shield families and homes from fire hazards.”
Rush Township Fire Chief Rick Poland was thankful for the news. “We’re just grateful that we got it,” he said.
The department had been trying for a year to get the grant because its turnout gear is outdated. Some of it is 20 years old and doesn’t meet state mandates, he said.
The AFG program supports fire departments across the country to ensure the safety of both first-responders and the public. The program provides funds for supplemental training, upgrades to protective equipment, facility modifications and other supplies that protect firefighters and first-responders in moments of crisis.