(PRESS RELEASE) Wauseon, OH, July 24, 2024 – The Wauseon Fire Department has been awarded $53,522.85.85 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program.
The funding allows the department to continue updating their existing source capture exhaust system, Phil Kessler, Wauseon Fire Chief recently announced.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant provides grants to fire departments across the nation and as of July 19th, 2024, FEMA has awarded 387 AFG awards totaling $64 million.
This funding will allow the department to update the remaining portion of their apparatus bay with a source capture exhaust system that will attach to the exhaust of each apparatus in the station.
This will allow vehicles to run inside the station with minimal exhaust exposure to the employees. The source capture exhaust system infrastructure updates are critical steps in improving occupational cancer awareness and prevention.
“The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Award is a big win for our personnel and their families at the Wauseon Fire Department”, commented Kessler.
“It is important that our members are housed in a working environment that not only protects them at work but is designed to help ensure that they remain healthy once they go home to their loved ones.”
“The Wauseon Fire Department continually looks for ways to invest in occupational-cancer awareness and prevention.”
“The Assistance to Firefighters Grant provided an opportunity for us to save our local taxpayers money while continuing to set the bar high for our employees. These AFG dollars will make a huge impact on our community.”