Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District Awarded Nearly $1 Million in Grant Funding

Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District Awarded Nearly $1 Million in Grant Funding

The Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District is pleased to announce the award of nearly $1 Million in grant funding to support additional staffing, communications equipment, firefighter health and wellness, and personal protective equipment.

Included in the amount is $918,476 in federal funding awarded through FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) and Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) programs. An additional $15,000 was awarded through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant Program.

These awards will support projects with a combined value of more than $1.4 million, allowing the District to make significant investments in staffing, equipment, and firefighter safety while substantially reducing the amount that must be funded locally.

SAFER Grant- $767,576.37 in Federal Funding

Pleasant Valley was awarded $767,576.37 through FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program.

The grant will help fund three additional full-time firefighters for a three-year period. The total cost of the three-year staffing project is approximately $1.24 million, with the District responsible for approximately $477,000 over the grant period.

These additional positions will improve daily staffing and operational readiness as the District continues to respond to increasing service demands and growth throughout the Pleasant Valley service area.

Assistance to Firefighters Grant- $143,714.28 in Federal Funding

The District also received $143,714.28 through FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, supporting two important projects with a combined project value of $150,900.

The first portion of the project includes $96,000 for the replacement of 16 portable radios used by firefighters and paramedics during emergency operations.

The second portion includes $54,900 for firefighter health and wellness initiatives, including NFPA- compliant medical examinations, cancer screening, and behavioral health resources.

Together, these projects will improve emergency communications while also strengthening the District's efforts to identify and reduce the occupational health risks faced by firefighters and paramedics.

Ohio BWC Firefighter Exposure Grant- $15,000

Most recently, the District was awarded the maximum $15,000 through the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant Program.

The approximately $21,000 project will provide 102 pairs of structural firefighting gloves and 51 particulate-barrier firefighting hoods, with the District contributing approximately $6,000 locally.

Investing in Our People and Our Community

Combined, Pleasant Valley has secured $911,290.65 in federal funding and $15,000 in state grant funding, representing more than $926,000 in outside funding toward projects valued at more than $1.4 million.

The District would also like to recognize Nationwide First Responder Grants for their assistance with our federal grant applications. Their experience with fire and emergency service grant programs and their work alongside our staff have played an important role in helping the District successfully compete for these federal funding opportunities.

While each grant addresses a different need, all support the same goal: ensuring that Pleasant Valley firefighters and paramedics have the people, equipment, resources, and protection necessary to safely provide a high level of emergency services to our residents.

The District will continue to pursue grant opportunities that allow us to improve staffing, equipment, and firefighter safety while remaining responsible stewards of the tax dollars entrusted to us.