Emergency crews in rural Eastern Arizona will be able to tap into a critical information source thanks to a federal grant. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified the White Mountain Apache Fire and Rescue Dept. it will receive $171,000 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program this month. The department will use the money to join the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system already in use in the area. The CAD system transmits critical maps and information to laptops installed in the emergency vehicles. By getting the White Mountain Apache linked to the towns of Show Low, Pinetop, & Lakeside this will give all residents more protection.
The department will have to come up with $9,000 to complete the project which includes hardware, software & 15 laptop computers for the emergency vehicles. Nationally, the AFG awards, which are distributed in phases, will ultimately provide about $490 million to fire departments & nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country.
AFG awards aim to enhance response capabilities & to more effectively protect the health & safety of the public with respect to fire & other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments & emergency medical services organizations to purchase or receive training, conduct first responder health & safety programs, & buy equipment & response vehicles.