Lamar County hopes to take advantage of the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program, which received a $4.5 million boost after Gov. Phil Bryant signed Senate Bill 2467 on April 13.
George Stevens, the Lamar County Fire Coordinator, said beginning July 1, the bill allows rural fire departments and ones in small towns to buy fire apparatus.
“Previously, Lamar County had been awarded all available RFTAAP funds and supplemental RFTAAP funds,” he said. “This bill not only funded the program, Round 12 was authorized, which Lamar County needed to be able to continue to participate in the program. The bill also increased the grant award from the Round 11 amount of $70,000 to the Round 12 amount of $90,000. This will mean Lamar County has an opportunity to apply and hopefully be awarded $90,000 in grant funding to put towards the purchase of a new fire truck. An additional $70,000 to $90,000 supplemental award may be available to Lamar County.”
Stevens said the money has not available to the county.
“This is the closest we have been to getting that money in about six years,” he said. “If we do get funding, it would provide $180,000 for two trucks for us.”
In addition to expressing his appreciation to the Pine Belt legislators for supporting the bill, Stevens singled out Hattiesburg Sen. John Polk, who handled the bill as chairman of the Senate Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency Committee and on the conference committee.
“The Lamar County Board of Supervisors have previously determined that if Round 12 was authorized, Central Lamar VFD would apply for the grant,” Stevens said. “Two of Central Lamar’s front line fire truck are more than 22 years old. The Board of Supervisors has not determined which department will apply for the Supplemental RFTAAP grant that may become available.”
Stevens said the bill is important.
“This bill will enable Mississippi firefighters to save property, thereby lowering insurance premiums, but more importantly save lives,” he said.
