WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Weirton Fire Department is among those announced Friday to have received fire safety grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced the grants, a total of $1,390,235, from FEMA. The grants will go to Weirton, Mason and Ranson.

The grants awarded through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program will help the fire departments purchase equipment and recruit personnel.

“Firefighters and emergency responders are often the first on the scene of an emergency, and they rely on their equipment to perform rescues. This funding will enable the fire departments in Mason and Weirton purchase new equipment and technology, and will help the Jefferson County Emergency Service Agency Fire Board recruit emergency responders to keep their communities safe,” said Capito.

The Weirton Fire Department will receive an Assistance to Firefighters grant in the amount of $188,572.

The Mason Volunteer Fire Department will receive $240,953, also in the form of an Assistance to Firefighters grant.

The SAFER grant, to benefit the Ranson area, will go to the Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency Fire Board in the amount of $960,710.

“Our brave firefighters and first responders put their lives on the line every day to keep our West Virginia communities safe,” Senator Manchin said. “I witnessed their hard work and commitment firsthand from my experience working with the Marion County Volunteer Fire Department. This funding will provide volunteer fire departments in Weirton, Mason and Jefferson with the resources and equipment they need to properly respond to emergencies and continue to protect West Virginians.”

FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program aims to help meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments. Through funding assistance, the program helps fire departments enhance their ability to protect both the public and first responders from fire and related hazards.

The SAFER Grant Program is a competitive grant program administered by FEMA with the goal of enhancing a local fire department’s ability to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).