TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Toledo Fire and Rescue has been awarded $200,000 in grant money from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
More than $100,000 of the state homeland security grant will be used for hazmat training as well as hazmat equipment.
Presently, Toledo Fire and Rescue has a hazardous response capability with about 140 hazmat technicians. This grant will allow the department to continue education for up to 180 technicians for the city as well as other departments throughout Lucas County.
An additional $87,000 dollars will help replace ITX 4 gas meters in all TFD vehicles.
TFD Deputy Chief for the Bureau of Homeland Security and Special Operations Thomas Jaksetic says this money is important to the department, and will allow it to keep the community safe while saving the city money.
"If we had not been awarded these grant funds, we would have had to replace these ITX meters and we still would have had to provide continuing education for our hazmat technicians, so it is a big, a huge award and benefit to the community," said Jaksetic.
Once Mayor Mike Collins adds his stamp of approval on Tuesday, April 22, Deputy Chief Jaksetic says the department will be able to start utilizing the funds.
