Volunteer firefighters are on the front lines facing COVID-19 every day, and they have been going through a lot of personal protective equipment. Representative Rex Reynolds said, "Every call they went on, they had to what we call burn the gloves and masks and what have you, they were being discarded, and they were really going through their supplies quickly." As the virus spread, so did their need for PPE. That's why local leaders are giving them additional funding.
"We have some flexibility with the TVA in lieu of tax money that each representative has access to," said Representative Reynolds. "Many of us chose to expend some of that funding during this COVID-19 shut down to support those agencies."
Representative Reynolds says volunteer firefighters are a critical part of our public safety, especially right now. The extra funding will help them stay safe throughout the pandemic.