MAYNARD, Ark. – The Maynard Volunteer Fire Department is set to upgrade its equipment and provide long-term health resources thanks to two grants awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The department received more than $150,000 through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. One grant will provide $150,000 for a new brush truck, while the second will cover the cost of 15 new helmets and health services, including annual physical exams, cancer screenings, and mental health counseling for firefighters.
“Just getting one is an accomplishment in itself,” said Taylor James, a volunteer firefighter with the department. “Getting two is something that we can really be proud of as a community and as a department.”
The grants aim to address specific health and safety challenges commonly faced by volunteer firefighters. Firefighter Jace Weisenbach noted that the new funding makes cancer screenings, previously unaffordable for the department, a reality.
“It’s something that is needed due to the carcinogens that’s involved in structure fires and vehicle fires,” Weisenbach explained. “A lot of times you don’t know that you’ve been exposed till years down the road.”
James emphasized that the mental health resources included in the grant are just as valuable. “You see things that the average person doesn’t necessarily see on a daily basis or a nightly basis,” he said. “This grant is going to help give our firefighters that accountability and that push where they can lean into and get that assistance that they need.”
FEMA will cover 95% of the total grant funding, with the city of Maynard providing a required local match of $15,825.01. The Maynard City Council approved the matching funds during a meeting earlier this week.
The new brush truck and health services will significantly expand the resources available to Maynard’s firefighting team, who provide critical protection and emergency response for the local community.