Grants fund new fire equipment for New Madrid County departments

COLUMBIA, Mo. - While no fire department ever has all the funding needed, grants will help two New Madrid County fire department better serve citizens.

The Matthews Volunteer Fire Department and the Morehouse Fire and Rescue each recently received grants from MFA Inc. to help fund equipment needs. The MFA Volunteer Fire Grant program focuses on addressing the needs of the fire services which will benefit the most.

Depending on the availability of funds, the goal is to award grants to at least one recipient in each of the nine Fire Mutual Aid Regions in Missouri. The University of Missouri Fire and Rescue Training Institute assists MFA Inc. by providing administrative oversight of its grant program.

T.J. Ganter, Matthews Volunteer Fire Department chief, said his department received $1,000 as a 50/50 matching grant. The money will go toward the purchase of portable radios for the department.

The $1,500 MFA 50/50 grant funding received by the Morehouse Fire and Rescue will be used to purchase three foam pro-packs, according to Chief James Whitley. He explained the pro-packs will provide better control in using the foam to extinguish a blaze.

Also the money will enable the Department to purchase additional foam. According to Whitley, the foam is used on fires, such as those sparked by diesel fuel or hydraulic fluid, where water is less effective.

Whitley also noted Morehouse Fire and Rescue received received a Missouri Department of Conservation Volunteer Fire Department Grant. The money enabled the purchase of 22 new pagers for the Morehouse volunteers.