Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—July 24, 2015. Congresswoman Robin Kelly announced today that the Manteno Community Fire Protection District was awarded a three-year federal grant to support the hiring of additional firefighters.
“Because the Manteno area is growing, it’s imperative that the fire protection district be adequately staffed to fully protect residents and businesses,” Rep. Kelly said. “I’m pleased that federal dollars were available to assist the fire district with its staffing needs.”
The $425,000 multi-year grant will pay for the salaries, benefits and pensions of three firefighters over a three-year period, according to Fire Chief Scott O’Brien. The Department currently employs 20 full-time firefighters and 10 paid-on-call firefighters. The Fire Protection District has two stations and provides fire and ambulance service to approximately 12,500 residents.
“We are extremely excited to be able to receive the grant,” Chief O’Brien said. “This grant will allow us to operate with an increased level of safety on rescues and fires, as well as better serving our community while experiencing increasing call volumes. The residents and businesses of our community will benefit from the level of service provided as a result of the grant.”
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants program is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Funds under the AFG’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program are intended to support the hiring of firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.
Source: www.robinkelly.house.gov
