Milton Police, Fire-Rescue Receive Grant For Additional Equipment

MILTON, GA -- Thanks to the generosity of the Milton First Responders Foundation (MFRF), the Milton Police Department and the Milton Fire-Rescue Department have access to additional equipment that promotes efficiency in the field and further protects the health of Milton's public safety personnel. More than $6,000 worth of equipment has been purchased with grants from the MFRF, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, with a Board comprised of Milton civic and business leaders that serve on a volunteer basis to provide support to the Milton Police and Fire employees and their families.

"Several of our board members come from a long line of first responders, and we know first-hand the sacrifices that public safety personnel make in service to the community," Robyn Pinto, MFRF Treasurer said in a release. "Our work aims to support Milton's first responders, keeping them safe while they're selflessly serving our community."

The recent grants allowed Milton Fire-Rescue to purchase 36 particulate-barrier hoods, which cover the head and neck areas of a firefighter. Firefighters are at a higher risk for developing cancers due to large amounts of toxic chemicals that are present in burning materials in structure fires, and the particulate barrier hood can help protect our firefighters from exposure to carcinogens and contaminants in the highly-permeable skin around the jaw-line and neck. The cost of these hoods was just over $3,000.

These hoods now give Milton firefighters a second hood in the event they are not able to properly clean their hood between events.

"These hoods offer our firefighters even more protection when they encounter dangerous materials during a fire," Milton Fire Chief Robert Edgar said in a release. "The National Fire Protection Association came out with a new standard that recommends each firefighter have a second hood and, thanks to MFRF, we're able to provide that to each of our firefighters."

The Milton Police Department purchased a Dataworks RapidID mobile fingerprint scanner with their MFRF grant. This scanner will assist the police department in the field, to verify identification and determine outstanding warrant status of individuals. This information will help officers determine if a person can be released on a citation for a minor offense or if an arrest is the more appropriate course of action. The cost of the scanner is $3,244.

"This scanner will certainly enhance efficiency in the field," Milton Chief of Police Rich Austin said in a release. "With the portable fingerprint scanner, our law enforcement officers will have the capability to verify identity on the spot."

Since their inception in 2015, MFRF has donated more than $67,000 in grants to the Milton Police and Fire-Rescue departments.

"MFRF is another great example of our citizens coming together to support their own," Mayor Joe Lockwood said in a release. "We're so thankful to have a local organization like MFRF, that generously supports our first responders."