Whatcom County Fire District #14 has received a grant of $124,046.00 from the "2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program", administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The award is part of a total of $560 million total being distributed by the agency to fire departments across the nation. The grant total award is $130,575 but the district is responsible for 5% or $6,529.00.

District #14 will use the funds to purchase new communication equipment for the fire district.

"Our firefighters are our community’s first-line responders to fires, accidents and disasters," said District #14 Fire Commissioner Chris Moe. "The grant funds will enable us to buy new communication equipment that will help to keep the firefighters safe as they work to protect our community." With the grant money received, the district will purchase new base stations for each station, mobile radios for the apparatus and hand held radios. This communication equipment will give our firefighters the ability to communicate with each other and also with other agencies. In addition, the radios will meet the demands of future radio frequency changes.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program assists local fire departments to purchase firefighting equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, enhance emergency medical services programs, and conduct fire education and prevention programs throughout the United States.

For more information on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, please visit the Program Website at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/, or contact the Grants Program Office at 1-866-274-0960. For more information on USFA, please visit the Website at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/

We wish to thank all of our government representatives that have supported this grant. Without it, this equipment would take many years to acquire.