DeKalb Fire Gets Nearly $400K Grant For Training, Equipment

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — DeKalb County firefighters will have new training opportunities and equipment, thanks to a nearly $400,000 federal grant.

The DeKalb County Fire Department will get a $398,225 grant through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath announced last Friday. The money will be used to provide firefighters with improved National Fire Protection Association compliant tools and equipment, as well as new state-of-the-art training programs, according to a news release.

“Our firefighters sacrifice their own safety every day on behalf of our communities: all in the name of protecting others,” McBath said. “I’m proud and grateful to see this grant come to our district — funds that will invest in the safety of our firefighters and first responders, support up-to-date tools to protect them every day on the job, and devote valuable resources to those who work so hard to protect our families and neighbors in the Sixth District and beyond.”

The grant announcement comes after the county unveiled its new $1.9 million fire rescue training academy last month, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. DeKalb used Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds for the project, and also used the same funds to construct a fire station off Columbia Drive, The AJC reported.

The AFG program awards grants directly to fire departments and EMS organizations that are unaffiliated with a hospital to enhance their response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel.

This year, 1,878 grants were given out totaling nearly $297.9 million.