Fire dept. seeks safety grant

A grant application approved Tuesday night may help improve traffic safety during emergencies.

The grant application approved is part of a regional grant application for the 2015 assistance to firefighters grant program. Fire Chief Jim Wamsley of the Rock Springs Fire Department is acting as coordinator for the regional grant, on behalf of the benefiting fire departments. Regional groups included in the program will be the Green River Fire Department, the Rock Springs Fire Department and the Sweetwater County Combined Communication Joint Powers Communication Board.

The Green River Fire Department is matching funds in the amount of $5,472 out of the fire department’s operation and maintenance budget for the grant.

The grant monies will go toward and pay for software that will be installed at central dispatch to alert the fire department on calls. Whether the situation is dire with lights, sirens and the usual protocol is necessary, or if the situation is less urgent and will not require the stopping of traffic.

“It will benefit everybody, not just the fire department,” Interim Fire Chief Mike Liberty said. “It’s just a safety for everybody, not just us as responders but everybody.”

Liberty said accidents do happen sometimes when traffic and fire trucks combine. Traffic problems sometimes occur. People will cut in front of other vehicles, speed up, slow down, and swerve.

“People do strange things when you’re behind them,” Liberty said.

This program will help the fire department and emergency medical services when responding to a call, whether it be urgent or less urgent.

“It will benefit Sweetwater County in general,” he said. “If we know it is something not critical, it makes it a little safer.”

Liberty said there is no guarantee they will receive the grant though. The grant will go through a lengthy review process. The grant is very competitive. Many other fire departments apply for it. The fire assistance grant program is funded by Homeland Security, and there is only so much money in the pot. He said it may be nine months before they know if they will in fact receive the grant or not.

“It would be nice if we would get it,” he said.