U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the Central Valley Fire District (CVFD) in Belgrade, MT was awarded a grant of $904,717 for the hiring of additional firefighters. The grant, administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.
“The Central Valley Fire District’s firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities from devastation,” Daines said. “This funding will help them continue to provide quality emergency services to their citizens and community. I’m proud to have supported Ron and the Central Valley Fire District in this important grant initiative.”
Ron Lindroth, Fire Chief of the CVFD, applied for the grant last spring.
On April 23, 2018, Daines sent a letter to Brian Kamoie, Assistant Administrator of the DHS Grant Program Preparedness, to show support for the CVFD grant application, and urge the agency to award funding.
“With the rapid growth Central Valley Fire District is experiencing, as well as the increased dependence on local fire forces to address the national wildfire problem; the ability to hire additional firefighters is essential. These funds will allow us to have career firefighters available in the Four Corners community as early as next June. I thank Senator Daines for his support in this effort,” Lindroth said.
The DHS SAFER Program is designed to enhance the ability of grant recipients to adequately protect their communities from fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER Program’s goal is to attain and maintain 24-hour fire department staffing, which strengthens and improves communities’ levels of preparedness.
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