Muskegon Heights Fire Department Receives Grant For New Truck

Andrew Trzaska | February 14, 2011

Two decades is a long time in fire truck years.

Thanks to a grant from the federal government, the Muskegon Heights Fire Department will be able to bring in a new engine to revitalize its aging fleet.

The $311,500 grant comes from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The new pumper truck that will be purchased with the grant will be a front line truck for the fleet.  The current front line truck for the department’s fleet is over twenty years old.

Muskegon Heights Fire Lieutenant Christopher Dean indicated that the series of grants the department applied for and reductions in overtime have been some of the ways they have tried to maintain fiscal responsibility in the past few years as city government budgets have been cut nationwide, including in West Michigan.

City Manager Natasha Henderson commended the Fire Department for taking the lead in applying for the FEMA/DHS grant, their second major grant in two years for a total of over $500,000.
Mayor Darrell Paige joined Henderson in her praise.

“This award will ensure that the Fire Department continues to provide outstanding fire service to the citizens of our community, and I am elated,” said Paige.

By the terms of the grant, the funds must be used during 2011. Therefore, the truck will be in use within a year.