U.S. Senator Russ Feingold announced two Douglas County fire departments received 2008 Assistance to Firefighters grants.
The Dairyland Volunteer Fire Department received a grant of $237,975, and the Parkland Volunteer Fire Department received a grant of $173,805.
This grant program is administered cooperatively by the National Preparedness Directorate and the United States Fire Administration, which are two components of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grants are used to purchase firefighting vehicles including pumpers, brush trucks, tankers, rescue, and ambulances.
"This grant program has been an unqualified success in getting much-needed resources directly to local firefighters," Feingold said in a prepared state. "I have been and continue to be a strong supporter of this program, in no small measure because of the advocacy of Wisconsin firefighters. The members of both volunteer and career fire departments put their lives on the line on a daily basis for others and at virtually every meeting I have with Wisconsin firefighters, they tell me about the vital importance of these grants and how these grants allow them to get needed equipment and training they would otherwise be unable to afford. "
Wisconsin communities have submitted 713 applications requesting a total amount of almost $100 million. In April 2008, Senator Feingold sent a letter pressing FEMA to strongly consider all Assistance to Firefighter Grant applications from communities across Wisconsin.
