Pa. volunteer fire companies share $94K in federal aid

By Tom Knapp
The Intelligencer Journal/New Era

LANCASTER, Pa. — Three fire companies in southcentral Pennsylvania will share nearly $100,000 in federal funding.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. announced in late November that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, operating under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, has awarded $94,832 through the Assistance to Firefighters grant program.

Recipients are Kinzer Fire Company ($38,000), Christiana Fire Company No. 1 ($22,610) and Hershey Volunteer Fire Company ($34,222).

The grant program is earmarked to improve operations and safety for first responders nationwide.

"Firefighters are invaluable members of our community, and they work tirelessly to ensure our safety. It is critical that we do everything in our power to provide them with the necessary tools and resources to perform their jobs," Casey said in a prepared statement.

Kinzer fire Chief Doug Brubaker said Tuesday the grant money will be used to improve department efficiency. "We're going to purchase a compressor and cascade system for our self-contained breathing apparatus," he said.

The equipment will allow Kinzer firefighters to fill the air cylinders used when working in enclosed and smoky conditions. "We won't need to rely on a neighboring company to do it for us," Brubaker said. "We'll be able to produce our own air for those units. ... This will help us be a little more self-sufficient."

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