$120K in Funding for Fire Safety in Anderson County
August 2, 2007

Rural Development Area Director Jerry Amonett and Fire Chief Shane Seidner announced this week the presentation of $120,000 in funding to the Anderson County Volunteer Fire Department for the Briceville unit. The announcement was made at the volunteer fire department in Briceville.

“Fully operational rescue equipment is essential to the success of any first responder protecting lives and property,” Amonett said in a press release. “The volunteer crew in Briceville provides critical services to the community and I am proud that, thanks to the support of Congressman Wamp and our Congressional delegation, Rural Development has the financial resources to help meet this kind of need in rural communities.”

Rural development funding includes an $80,000 low-interest loan and a $40,000 grant. The VFD has raised an additional $70,000 bringing total funding to $190,000.

The investment is being used to purchase a new Sterling pumper/tanker fire truck with a 1,000-gallon capacity tank and a 1,250-gallon per minute pump. The new truck will replace the department’s 1969 pumper truck and provide greater reliability and significantly reduce the cost of ongoing repairs and maintenance.

“The volunteers at the Briceville Volunteer Fire Department serve their community with dedication and pride and are certainly deserving of this grant, which makes it possible to replace the department's old 1969 pumper truck,” said Congressman Wamp. “With a newer pumper/tanker truck, the volunteer firefighters will be able to respond to emergencies with the safest, most reliable equipment possible.”

Others participating in the announcement included Wamp’s representative Gina Broome, Anderson County Mayor Rex Lynch, Briceville VFD Fire Chief Shane Seidner, Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Brewster, and Rural Development Area Specialists Marisol Torres and David Collett.

Rural Development’s community facilities program provides rural areas with the financial resources needed to improve essential community services. Education, healthcare, assisted living and civic facilities, along with local government buildings and equipment for police and fire protection are examples of projects typically funded through this program. Community facilities grants target rural areas with a population less than 20,000.

USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities in Tennessee by providing financial and technical assistance through housing, community and business development programs. In Fiscal Year 2006 Rural Development assisted more than 467,575 Tennessee families and businesses with more than $288 million in financial assistance through loans and grants.