In 2007 we applied to FEMA for an "Assistance to Firefighters" grant. We were awarded our grant in 
Jun. 2007 for $115,800.00. The FEMA Grants are competitive and are awarded on scored scale. 
The Grant is a 95 / 5 grant with the Township paying 5% or  $5,790

You must be specific in what you are going to purchase and only those items are then bought. Our goal in applying for the grant was to replace all twenty-two SCBA's (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) along with the spare cylinders.  The new units will meet the NFPA 1971- 2007 standards for SCBA.  The units cost $5,500.00 each.

The new units have a heads up display showing air pressure, built in PASS device (Personal Alert Safety System), a R.I.T. air fitting that allows rapid re-filling of an air cylinder should a firefighter become trapped and run low on air, a supplied air fitting for external air supply, a 50' escape line with decent device built into the harness, Voice amplification system, Carbon Fiber air bottles and two R.I.T. (Rapid Intervention Team) kits for emergency air supply that can refill a firefighters cylinder or supply his/her regulator. The R.I.T. system also allows us to provide air for our neighboring departments when we assist on mutual aid fires and improves our interoperability.

The final purchase price for the entire system was $123,778.00. The amount spent over and above the grant award was paid by the Margaretta Firefighter's Association. The Association spent an additional $7,978.00 for options and spare cylinders. In addition to the options purchased the Association also purchased  a spare regulator and supplied air hoses for $1.800.00.

Without the FEMA grant Margaretta Township would have been unable to purchase these units all at once and receive a bulk purchase discount. It would have taken 5-7 years and cost considerably more to buy these units three to five at a time.
We would like to thank  the Department of Homeland Security / FEMA for this grant. We would also like to thank the residents of Margaretta Township for their generous support of our fund raising projects that allowed us to purchase the options listed above.

The units were placed into service in February and members are now trained in their use.