Lorain (OH) Gets Federal Grant for Fire Apparatus Purchase

A federal grant of $280,000 will pay for a new fire engine for Lorain (OH).

The award will come from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announced the grant on Wednesday.

“Our first responders put their lives on the line every day across Ohio,” said Brown. “These funds ensure that firefighters in Lorain have the resources they need to perform their jobs safely.”

The money will help pay for a new engine for Lorain’s No. 4 Fire Station, said Safety-Service Director Robert Fowler. The city will match $70,000 for the grant to pay for the new fire engine.

“We’re going to get a new fire truck, it’s a great day,” Fowler said. He credited fire Chief Tom Brown for his efforts pursuing grant money to replace the city’s aging gear and stations.

In fall 2011, Lorain residents turned down a proposed fire levy that was to cover repairs to Lorain’s fire stations and trucks. Since then, Brown has been searching for ways to pay for upgrades without the additional dollars, Fowler said.

The city wants to provide citizens with better services and the grant is an opportunity to do that, Fowler said.

“We’re trying to maximize our purchasing so we can keep our personnel in the stations,” Fowler said. “This is part of our plan to adjust for our capital needs. Again, trying to maximize the citizens’ protection with limited resources. It’s exciting news.”

For more information, view morningjournal.com