The Benton Township Fire Department is receiving more than $200,000 in new equipment for a fraction of its cost thanks to a federal grant.
Chief Rob Harper tells us Sodus Township, St. Joseph Township, and Benton Township have all teamed up to seek an Assistance to Firefighters grant of $889,000 across the three. Benton Township’s share is $261,000.
“This grant was to replace our air packs, which are called SCBA, as well as our fill stations, and any other associated equipment that goes with those two items,” Harper said. “So, our department received 22 air packs and 44 bottles, 22 masks and 22 bags to put the masks in, an air compressor, a fill station, and it looks like we’ll be getting a bottle storage cart.”
Harper says the grant only requires a 10% match, about $26,000 from the township. He told the Benton Township Board of Trustees Tuesday that’s a heck of a deal.
Harper says FEMA looks at the overall number of people who will be served when considering grant applications, so the three townships teaming up helped increase their chances of approval.
The township board approved the 10% match required by the grant at Tuesday’s meeting.
