You should know

Local safety agencies receive grant funding

The Indiana Homeland Security Foundation recently approved more than $370,000 in grants to aid local public safety agencies statewide.

Awards were given to 101 recipients in 61 counties, including four Jackson County agencies. Recipients include local fire departments, emergency medical services, law enforcement and emergency management agencies in all 10 Indiana Department of Homeland Security districts.

The focus of the foundation is to support the future of public safety and provide grant funding in amounts of as much as $4,000 to local agencies for critical needs.

Eligible projects include equipping emergency responders with personal protective equipment; acquiring equipment for use by emergency responders; providing radios and technology equipment; and training for emergency responders. In the past, the funds have been used to purchase protective equipment, fire gear, defibrillators, fire hoses, communication equipment, thermal imaging cameras and gas detectors.

The foundation is funded through the purchase of “Secure Indiana” license plates. These funds provide grants to public safety agencies and scholarships to students statewide.

Jackson County grant recipients include:

•City of Seymour, $4,000 for personal protective equipment

•Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department, $4,000 for fire helmets

•Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, $2,500 for communications equipment

•Pershing Township Volunteer Fire Department (Freetown), $3,688 for self-contained breathing apparatus masks and voice amplifiers.