Eleven fire departments in northeast Minnesota have been awarded federal grants for new equipment. Congressman Jim Oberstar announces the Department of Homeland Security will award $625,425 from its Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
"This is an excellent program," said Congressman Jim Oberstar. "It helps first responders in rural towns purchase the equipment they need to protect and serve their communities."
In the city of Floodwood, the grant will be used to purchase new radios and pagers.
"This new equipment will make us compliant with an upcoming FCC mandate concerning radios for public safety organizations. A number of our current radios will simply not meet this mandate, so this is great news for our fire department," said Floodwood Fire Chief Jim Mason.
Among the fire departments receiving grants are Blackhoof (Barnum) Fire Department, which received $29,752, and Floodwood Volunteer Fire Department, which received $53,776.
