September 14, 2018 - Mayor Tom Henry and Fire Chief Eric Lahey today announced that, with the support of  U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, the Fort Wayne Fire Department has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) from the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The $41,364 award will help the department replace a fill station, providing a reliable air supply to the department’s Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) packs. This new air bottle fill station will ensure that our firefighters continue to have clean breathing air, and will help to decrease firefighter cancer and asbestosis rates.

“I’d like to thank Senator Donnelly for providing support toward the protection of our firefighters,” said Mayor Henry. “Keeping our firefighters safe and healthy, now and in the future, is an important part of our commitment to public safety. The Fort Wayne Fire Department is a critical component of the outstanding quality of life we enjoy in Fort Wayne.”

“We’re very fortunate to have received this grant which will go a long way to keep our first responders healthy,” said Chief Lahey. “The Fort Wayne Fire Department is committed to protecting the citizens of our city. We will continue to identify opportunities like the Assistance to Firefighters grant to help our force perform their duties as efficiently as possible while keeping them safe from harm.”