Grant Would Enhance Snowflake Fire Station

By Naomi Hatch
   “As you know, we’re always looking for good grants,” reported Snowflake Fire Chief Pat Hancock at the regular meeting of the city council on Tuesday.
   Hancock is seeking support to apply for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant. He told the council initial discussion included construction of two new stations in the community, but two more stations would increase costs to the town.
   Hancock said the $210 million available is in non-matching grants for station construction and there are expected to be between 5,000 and 10,000 applications.
   Hancock noted in a memo to the council, “While the Snowflake Fire Department recently constructed a new fire station, certain aspects of the fire station were not completed and have been postponed until later budgets. We now have an opportunity to apply for a construction grant that may be able to provide some of the additional items needed to finish the station construction.”
   Funding would complete sleeping quarters, backup emergency power and improve drainage while providing additional storage capacity.
   Councilman Jason Whiting expressed concern that the grant would require some cost to the town such as increase in salaries. Hancock assured him that there were no such requirements in the grant and invited him to read the material they received.
   Councilman Chris Brimhall, who participated on the Fire Station Committee, said, “Part of that recommendation was, we did need to move forward as soon as possible to build two more small fire stations. One would be located out on Silver Creek and one west of the wash. I’m wondering whether a new facility that increases coverage for the town wouldn’t be more attractive than finishing a station and making it more comfortable for the people that work there.”
   Brimhall went on, “I know you said you didn’t want to take on more debt, but I’m looking at what’s going to have the greatest chance of getting approved and in my mind it would be something that expands the coverage of the town.”
   He asked if they could submit two grants, and Chief Hancock said they could not.
   Town Manager Paul Watson said that when they looked at the two substations they looked at operational expense and that is why they decided on completing the existing fire station. Chief Hancock said they have property donated near Woodruff Road and west of town.
   “There’s things in place for the future for us but like the town manager said, we had good discussion about this and we feel good about going forward with this,” said Hancock.
   The council unanimously approved applying for the grant.