Overton Fire Departments Could Receive Grant

Overton County could receive a grant to help fund equipment for fire departments.

County Executive Ben Danner said an application for a Community Development Block Grant will be submitted this month.

“We’ve got 12 fire departments and we’re going to try to get a new truck and a pumper unit for all trucks. So they’d all have a mini pumper so they can respond to house fires quicker, and they can respond to car fires and brush fires quicker. All of the fire departments do not have a mini pumper truck,” Danner said.

The newest fire truck Overton County has is over 16 years old, and other vehicles are ’70 model trucks. Danner said the department has needed new trucks and equipment for at least 20 years.

Overton County could receive a maximum of $420,000 under the CDBG grant. Daner said Overton hasn’t received a CDBG grant in over 10 years.

“This grant was a way to help all 12 fire departments because if we applied for a fire truck, we could only get two out of this grant, and all 12 of them need it. Even if we got it this year that don’t mean next year we could apply again for two more, and who knows if we’d even get that grant.”

Danner said the fire department has relied on the Putnam County Fire Department for aid in the past.

County officials should know whether their request was accepted by this Fall.