Sen. Carper Announces Minquas Fire Company to Receive $72,000 Grant

Wilmington, DE- Senator Tom Carper announced today that the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program has awarded the Minquas Fire Company $72,425 for operations and firefighter safety. “These dedicated men and women risk their lives daily to protect our community,” said Senator Carper. “They deserve only the best apparatus to get their jobs completed in the safest way possible.” Senator Carper sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge earlier this year in support of the Minquas Fire Company’s grant application. Created in 1901, the Minquas Fire Company is a volunteer organization which handles hundreds of incidents a year and assists other volunteer fire companies throughout New Castle County. In 2003 alone, this fire company responded to 275 rescue events and 154 structure type alarms and provided services to a large number of housing communities, apartment complexes, churches, one large chemical company and four industrial parks. On September 15, 2003, Tropical Storm Henri hit this region extremely hard; however, a major tragedy was averted largely due to the Minquas Fire Company who was immediately on the scene rescuing individuals with only minutes to evacuate from their homes. It is important to note that this work is done solely through the work of dedicated volunteers. Now with this grant, the Minquas Fire Company plans to update its extrication equipment and add to its portable radio inventory. They also plan to acquire chemical warfare sampling kits, MSA Clear Command Voice Amplifiers, new Solaris Four Gas Detector units and new AED defibrillators.