Grant helps promote safety
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Fire Department now has the funds to continue efforts to get working smoke detectors into more homes in the community, after receiving word it had been approved for a government grant.
Sen. Susan Collins, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, made the announcement June 29 that the Department of Homeland Security has awarded $8,550 in grant funding to the PIFD. The funding is provided through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, or “FIRE Act.”
“Our career and volunteer firefighters are among our bravest public servants. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is a critical source of funds for our fire and rescue personnel,” said Sen. Collins.
Sen. Collins said this funding will be distributed through the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants Program, which consists of research and development to improve firefighter safety and to identify and mitigate fire-related hazards.
Deputy Fire Chief Adam Rider, PIFD, worked on the grant application and explained what the funds will be used for.
“We originally applied for and received a grant in 2006 and used that money to establish a smoke detector installation program that’s been going on since. This grant will basically be used to supplement the program, allowing the department to obtain another 500 smoke detectors,” said Rider, who indicated the department was “basically out of the units.”
“We were either going to have to stop the program or get the money from somewhere else, had we not received this grant for nearly $9,000,” he said.
The department is focusing on certain homes for distributing the smoke detectors.
“Our target group is any home with children or senior citizens living there. There is an application process. If someone’s interested, all they have to do is come in and fill one out,” he said.
Once the application is reviewed and approved, someone from the fire department will contact the person to schedule installation.
“We set up a time to go in and install the detector. We also do a home fire prevention checklist with the family,” said Rider, noting, “It gets us into homes that we wouldn’t ordinarily get into.”
Rider said it’s an educational opportunity and a way for firefighters to connect with the public.
“It’s good PR for the department. We’re teaching families how to be safe in their homes and what to do in an emergency,” said Rider. “We can answer questions, note hazards. It’s a great program for us.”
Rider said the department is pleased to be able to continue providing a product, at no cost to homeowners, that will ultimately save lives.
“Any time we can get funding to keep programs like this going, it’s very beneficial,” said Rider.
Sen. Collins strongly supported the creation of the FIRE Act Grant program. These grants area awarded to fire departments across the United States to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, emergency medical service programs and fire prevention and safety programs, and to purchase new fire equipment.
For more information about the smoke detector program, contact 769-0881.
