WHEELING, W.Va (WTRF)- The announcement from Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) came last week to provide funding for West Virginia Fire Departments.
The $2,505,863.88 comes from the Federal emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.
Brooke County’s Hooverson Heights Volunteer Fire Department 1 is one of the many West Virginia fire departments to receive financial help from the Federal Government.
Hooverson Heights Volunteer Fire Department 1 is the recipient of a FY19 AFG Award and is set to receive $133,333.33.
Senator Capito says Volunteer firefighters have been a crucial part of society during the pandemic but face uncertainty with the lack of fundraising due to COVID-19.
Capito emphasizes the importance of keeping Volunteer fire departments open with Federal Funding.
They’ve been asked to respond and obviously have been responding in difficult situations so they need to be protected. We also need to make sure they keep their doors open to provide this protection. They need more equipment but they also need the funds just to keep the lights on and the technology too. So our volunteer fire departments are really really critical in this state.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito | R-W.Va.
Almost 20 Fire Departments in the state received funding and Capito hopes more funding will come in the future.