First respondersMadison County, IL receives $260,000 in DHS grants
Two fire departments in Madison County, Illinois were recently awarded more than $260,000 in federal grants; the grants come as part of DHS’ Assistance to Firefighters program and goes toward the purchase of new safety gear and firefighting equipment; the Wood River fire department will receive $223,556 to help pay for a high-volume foam monitor as well as foam that will be used to put out chemical fires; the Rosewood Heights Fire Protection District will receive $37,050 to procure thirty sets of new protective fire suits
Two fire departments in Madison County, Illinois were recently awarded slightly more than $260,000 in federal grants. The grants come as part of DHS’ Assistance to Firefighters program and goes toward the purchase of new safety gear and firefighting equipment.
The Wood River fire department will receive $223,556 to help pay for a high-volume, trailer-mounted foam monitor as well as foam that will be used to put out chemical fires.
Wood River fire chief Steve Alexander said, “This piece of equipment will allow us to battle a tank or pipeline fire if it were to occur.”
Oil giant BP and Marathon Pipe Line LLC both operate facilities in the Wood River fire department’s jurisdiction and during a meeting with fire officials suggested purchasing a 6,000 gallon per minute foam monitor to put out any fires at the plant.
The foam will help firefighters control any high-temperature fire caused by fuel or other combustible materials by suffocating the fire’s oxygen supply with sheer volume. The foam will coat the fire and its fuel in heavy foam preventing contact with oxygen and thereby extinguishing it.
BP and Marathon have pledged to pay the remaining costs of the foam monitor, roughly $11,000.
“This monitor gives a good solid punch in attacking a tank or pipeline fire,” Alexander said.
Rosewood’s existing suits are ten to twelve years old and according to Tim Bunt, Rosewood’s fire chief, “the life of turnout gear is around 10 years old.”
“This grant is something we really needed to purchase this gear,” he said. Now, “every firefighter will get new turnout gear.”
