Statewide fire grant seminar takes place in Ascension Parish

The St. Amant Volunteer Fire Department hosted a statewide federal fire grant seminar Feb. 18 at the Ascension Parish Fire District 1 Public Safety Center in Gonzales.

Eighteen fire departments across the state received tips and strategies for trying to win awards from the fire grant programs, according to St. Amant chief James E. LeBlanc.

The seminar focused on all aspects of the grant application process, with the strongest emphasis on providing advice on how to write successful grant essays.

The instructor for the course was Brad Cole, a regional fire program specialist. This seminar was offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Representatives from fire departments across the state were encouraged to attend, said LeBlanc.

Most fire departments rely on federal fire grants to help keep the public safe.

“You just have to be persistent. You have to know what you want to write for, you have to have a good plan set and you need to focus on what you actually need for your community,” LeBlanc said.

Fire Departments across the state that attended the seminar in Ascension Parish were Livonia, Kenner, Brown Springs VFD, Galvez-Lake, Husser VFD, 7th District VFD, Town of Independence, City of Denham Springs, Parish of Ascension, Donaldsonville Fire, Prairieville Fire, Gonzales Fire, St. Bernard Fire, St. Amant Fire, SW Marrion VFD, Hammond Fire, Sorrento Fire and New Orleans Fire Department.