MILTON TOWNSHIP Volunteer fire department receives federal grant

The department will buy a thermal imaging camera with the award.
LAKE MILTON -- Milton Township Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded $99,315 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This is the second award the department has received since FEMA began the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program in 2001, explained Milton Township Fire Chief Richard Pellin Jr.
This award, which is part of $750 million being distributed to more than 7,000 fire departments in 2003, is designed to assist rural, urban and suburban fire departments. As in 2001, the funds will be used for Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety.
"In 2001 our department was awarded $97,934," Pellin said. "We were able to purchase protective gear that allows firefighters to safely enter burning buildings, saving lives and preserving property."
This year's award will allow the purchase of a thermal imaging camera, designed to see through a smoke-filled house or other structure to find someone during a fire."
Pellin attributes his department's success in obtaining the grant to his equipment officer and firefighter, Richard Daniels.
Community assistance
The department serves the 4,000 plus residents of Milton Township, including the Lake Milton State Park, as well as providing additional assistance to all of the surrounding communities. The department was formed in January 2000 and currently operates with 25 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical workers.
Within several months, the department will begin construction on a new fire station located adjacent to the Milton Town Hall. This project is also being funded with federal funds, from the Department of Agriculture, with an estimated cost to exceed $750,000.