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Grant buying Long County firetruck
LONG Fire Truck
Long County Commissioners stand with Ludowici/Long County Fire Department volunteers and Chief Darrell Balance in front of the new tanker purchased with a $199,501 grant. From left: Clifton DeLoach, Andy Fuller, Wallace Shaw, Bobby Walker, Ballance, Don Wilson and David Richardson. - photo by Photo by Mike Riddle
The Ludowici/Long County Volunteer Fire Department recently received a check for $199,501 to buy a new fire tanker.   These funds were approved through an Assistance to Firefighter’s Grant, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s U.S. Department of Homeland Security program.
The tanker is to supply water to fire trucks at emergency scenes in areas where fire hydrants are not available. The tanker holds 3,500 gallons and can be emptied and refilled rapidly to keep a vehicle in service.  The tanker also is equipped with a pump system and a fire hose so the truck can protect itself from an approaching fire.
“We’re proud to have gotten this grant, and to be able to get this tanker, and it will help us out tremendously,” said L/LCVD Chief Darrell Ballance.
According to Ballance, firefighter Don Wilson was the primary writer of the grant for the department.
The L/LCVD also received a $68,400 grant in 2007 for an air-tank refilling system light trailer, making the total amount received by the department during the past two years, $267,991.
AFG money is awarded to fire departments throughout the nation to help protect the health and safety of the public and to assist departments and emergency medical services groups with training, safety programs and buying response vehicles.
According to Wilson, the AFG has awarded more than $3.6 billion in grants since 2002 to fire departments and first responder organizations.
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