The Ozark Fire Protection District will be buying equipment for its water district team after getting a grant from Missouri Employers Mutual.
The water rescue team will now be able to respond to water-based emergencies in the district faster.
When the equipment comes in, firefighters will undergo highly technical training.
You can read more from the Fire District with a press release below…
Ozark, MO. November 5th, 2020 – The Ozark Fire Protection District has been selected as a recipient of a grant from Missouri Employers Mutual for the purchase of equipment to outfit the fire district’s water rescue team.
Identified as a strategic need for the district, a water rescue team will allow the district to be able to respond to water based emergencies within the district faster than the regional Springfield-based team.
The 110 square mile district is bisected by the Finley river, which has seen historic record flooding multiple times in the last 5 years. Battalion Chief Shawn Martin researched and
wrote the grant application for the district.
This is a matching fund grant, meaning that the fire district will purchase the equipment, and will be reimbursed by the funds from the grant.
Chief Metheny stated, “We are thankful for the support from the board of directors, and for Chief Martin’s diligence on the grant.”
The district will begin the bidding process to acquire the equipment immediately, and after acquiring the equipment will complete the highly technical training to certify several members of the district as Swift-Water Rescue Technicians.
