Henderson, North Las Vegas fire departments awarded Department of Homeland Security funds
The Henderson and North Las Vegas fire departments soon will benefit from nearly $4 million in Department of Homeland Security grant funding.
North Las Vegas is using $3.6 million from Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response to hire 18 firefighters.
North Las Vegas Fire Capt. Cedric Williams said the department still has many open positions as a result of the recession and is “extremely excited” for the opportunity to bring in new firefighters.
As part of the grant, the city will be required to keep the firefighters on the payroll even after the money is used up, he said.
The department also received $41,105 from the Assistance to Firefighters grant, which will support improving fire and emergency equipment facilities.
Henderson Fire Chief Matthew Morris said his department will use its $212,886 in Assistance to Firefighters grant funding for new vehicle extraction tools.
Morris said the higher-tension steel on newer cars coupled with the age of the department’s current tools, makes it harder to extract victims.
“The technology in the tool has to match the technology in the vehicles,” Morris said.
Without the grant, the department would have had to replace the tools one piece at a time over several years.
“These newer tools reduce extraction times,” Morris said. “I believe these new tools will save lives.”
Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.
