HAGERSTOWN, MD – The Washington County Division of Emergency Services and Potomac Valley Volunteer Fire Company have been awarded a $1.9 million Regional Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The funds will be used by various volunteer fire and EMS departments, the Division of Emergency Services and the county Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association to purchase portable radios.
“On behalf of the entire Board of County Commissioners for Washington County, MD, I extend our appreciation to Potomac Valley Volunteer Fire Company for your efforts to assist our County in obtaining a FEMA Grant Award,” said Board of County Commissioners President Jeffrey A. Cline. “The grant will help in providing critical equipment needed for firefighters across the County. With the recent award of the AFG grant, our fire and EMS responders are being set up for success over the next several years to serve the residents of Washington County.”
A special thank you to Potomac Valley Volunteer Fire Company who agreed to serve as the regional host for this grant application process and will be accepting the grant.
The AFG Grant Award to Washington County, MD will total $1,927,818.18. This regional grant brings direct capital purchase dollars to 19 volunteer fire and EMS departments as well as Hagerstown Fire Department, Washington County Division of Emergency Services, and Washington County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association. There is a 10% match requirement for this grant and the Board of County Commissioners has previously budgeted funds to cover that portion of the grant.
· Hancock Rescue Squad, Inc.
· Leitersburg Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
· Williamsport Volunteer Fire and EMS
· Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
· Community Volunteer Fire Company of District 12
· Clear Spring Ambulance Club, Inc.
· Longmeadow Volunteer Fire Company Inc.
· First Hose Company of Boonsboro, Inc.
· Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Company
· Potomac Valley Volunteer Fire Company
· Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company
· Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Department Inc.
· Boonsboro Ambulance and Rescue Service Inc.
· Hagerstown Fire Dept.
· Maugansville Goodwill Volunteer Fire Company
· Sharpsburg Area Emergency Medical Services
· Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway, Inc.
· Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services
· Hancock Fire Company
· Mt. Aetna Vol. Fire Company
· Washington County Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association
· Washington County Division of Emergency Services
“The portable radios used by our fire and EMS responders have exceeded their manufacturers stated service life and parts for repair are becoming more difficult to find. The new radios will be designed to withstand the rigors of structural firefighting. The radios will also provide improved technologies, such as; dual band frequencies, GPS, Over The Air Programming (OTAP) capabilities, WIFI, and expanded frequency encryption capability,” said Washington County Division of Emergency Services Director, R. David Hays.
