Osceola County Fire Rescue & EMS received a $1 million federal grant this week to help Officers and Chief Officers receive training and certification that measure standard knowledge and skills to best serve the public.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) award will provide funding for Fire Officer I and Fire Officer II classes for Battalion Chiefs, Lieutenants, and Engineers who currently do not hold these certifications. The grant request was for the fees associated with tuition, books, state certification, the testing center cost and for some backfill costs.
“I am proud of our team for receiving this grant that will help to increase the knowledge and skills of our first responders, allowing them to continue the Department’s mission to provide the highest level of service possible to the residents and visitors of Osceola County,” said Osceola Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington. “The quality of service will be maintained by strict adherence and dedication to the principles of safety, commitment, respect, honesty, teamwork and education.”
Osceola County received letters of support from Senator Marco Rubio and Congressman Darren Soto.
“I am thrilled that I was able to assist Osceola County Fire Rescue in securing this $1 million grant to help our fast-growing county protect and save lives,” said Soto. “It is critical for Osceola County to invest in keeping the community safe. This Department of Homeland Security AFG grant will provide more training to our first responders to make sure they can successfully continue their mission to provide emergency planning, fire protection, and pre-hospital care at the highest level.”
Osceola County Fire Rescue has seen a continual increase in call volume due to the County’s growth. Since 2010 the department has had a 40.8 percent increase in call volume with the County population increasing 39.8 percent (U.S. Census Bureau) in the same time frame.
“By providing our current and future officers the opportunity to train up to the NFPA 1021 standards for both Fire Officer 1 & 2 through this grant, we can help ensure that we are proactively working towards providing the best quality and professional services to the citizens of Osceola County,” Fire Chief Larry Collier said. “I’m grateful to all those who worked to successfully submit this grant, so that we can advance our department for the betterment of our residents and visitors.”
Overall, the County’s population has increased 117.8 percent since the year 2000. Osceola currently has two fire stations under construction which will be an increase in the level of service, one off Boggy Creek Road in the Austin-Tindall area and the other off of Calypso Cay Way near State Road 535. In addition, with the approval of the 2022-2023 Budget on Monday, construction of a third new Fire Station in the area of Funie Steed and Entry Point Boulevard near S.R. 429 will begin shortly. These three station projects, along with the relocation of the current station in Poinciana to a more efficient location, is how the County is addressing its level of service needs.
Original source can be found here
Alerts Sign-up