A grant being sought by the Carbon Hill Fire Department will be for a larger amount than earlier anticipated, in part as the department now also wants to seek a new rescue truck to deal with the accidents being seen on U.S. Interstate 22.
In April, the council agreed to allow Assistant Fire Chief Phillip Howard to apply for a $50,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant as the department's composite versions of contained breathing apparatuses will no longer be usable after December, he said. That means 10 apparatuses and accessory equipment will be lost for the department, which covers 50 to 60 square miles of territory.
"We need these because of the area we service and the events and the safety of our firemen," he said.