• Groton Fire Chief Dion Bahr reported that Groton had been awarded the SD Department of Agriculture 50/50 grant for $14,000 during the Fire Board meeting on Monday. The grant will be used to upgrade and replace needed equipment. The fire district will pay half of the cost or $7,000.
• Bahr also reported that the Groton Fire Department will be doing some training later this month on a controlled grassland fire east of town. This will help provide some much needed training to members of the fire department on grassland fires.
• Last month the board had given approval on the purchase of four rescue harnesses to aid the rescue squad and firefighters in trapped rescue situations such as grain bins. Board member Dale Ringgenberg reported that he misquoted the price of the harnesses and that they were more expensive then was previous quoted. The harnesses run closer to $262 apiece, so he had not ordered them pending approval of the board. The board granted approval on the purchase of 4 additional harnesses, however, Ringgenberg is to check with another supplier to see if the price is compatible. The board wants to have the same kind of harnesses now used so that they are interchangeable.
• The FEMA Truck Grant is now open and Groton will be submitting its application for the new six wheel-drive tanker truck. This truck will replace the 1975 truck now used. The '75 no longer meets codes, it has no seat belts and was never designed to be used as a tanker. The new 6 wheel-drive, 3,000 gallon tanker will have an easier time navigating the bad roads and conditions the tanker needs to travel to reach fires. Ringgenberg will be working on the grant and getting it submitted as soon as the two manufacturers send him the specifications on the truck. The grant also has an equipment component to it and he will be able to apply for more breathing apparatus, so that each firefighter will have one available to them.
• There will be a second grant opportunity in October to apply for a Safer Grant from FEMA. This grant would allow the fire board to pay wages to both the firefighters and the rescue squad members. The grant pays the wages for the first three years, then half the wages on the fourth year and the board would take over and pay on the fifth year. The board will look into this grant further in the future, as it would help pay some of the expenses. The Groton Firefighters currently are paid for going on a fire call, but the Groton Rescue Squad is all volunteers and are not paid for responding to calls.
• Assistant Fire Chief Tom Tietz requested the purchase of two cabinets to be mounted inside the fire trailer. Currently there is a pickup toolbox in the trailer to

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