East County Fire and Rescue received a federal grant to fund equipment upgrades to reduce fire station toxins and boost department training.
The agency was awarded a $242,225 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The grant will allow the fire district to install diesel exhaust extraction systems at three of its fire stations. The devices, which will capture the exhaust from fire engines inside the stations, will help reduce firefighters’ cancer risk, according to an agency press release.
The grant will also fund training for all of the agency’s firefighters in incident command and future classes, the news release states.
