GONZALES — Greenfield Fire Department and the Gonzales Fire Department are among four Monterey County cities that were chosen to receive a grant totaling $853,694 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
The grants were announced by Congressman Jimmy Panetta on May 25.
“Firefighters and first-responders in Monterey County work hard every day to protect our families, so we need to provide them with the best resources available,” Panetta said. “This Assistance to Firefighters Grant will immediately enhance inter-operability, between stations so that each crew can keep providing their vital services to the citizens of Monterey County.”
Gonzales Fire Chief Jason Muscio said having clear radio communications are essential for firefighter safety while on emergency scenes and the grant would go a long way to help provide the safety of his firefighters.
Greenfield’s Fire Chief Rich Foster said the grant would allow the Greenfield Fire District to upgrade their radios and improve their emergency communications.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program awards grants directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations and state fire training academies to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of first-responder personnel.
The process is competitive and is overseen by fire service subject matter experts Grants are awarded to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
The awardees for the grants include the Gonzales Fire Department, Greenfield Fire Protection District, Seaside Fire Department and Mid Coast Fire Brigade.
