WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — The White County Board of Commissioners recently approved a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to replace aging firefighting equipment. The half-million-dollar grant will be used to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) used by White County firefighters.
White County Public Safety Director David Murphy told commissioners that the current SCBAs are approaching the end of their 15-year life cycle. The county purchased them in 2013 with the exact grant mechanism. At that time, the cost was $5,100; today’s cost is around $10,000 per unit.
The county, in accepting the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, will receive $532,900 and the county will have to kick in $53,290.
Murphy advised the commissioners that the grant and county portions are included in the current Capital Improvement Plan/SPLOST budget. The public safety department will seek bids for the required equipment and return to the commissioners for approval before final purchase.
ARDEO grant
The commission board also approved applying for a $500,000 grant to help fund the operation of the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office (ARDEO). Other counties served by the task force must also approve the application process.
This is an annual grant awarded to the counties to support ARDEO’s work.
