Residents in the Appleton community couldn’t be any happier than Mike Tyler after hearing the new of a grant of more than $100,000 being awarded to the community’s volunteer fire department.

Tyler said the news of the final award was welcome and plans to spend the funds have already been made.

“This is wonderful news,” Tyler said. “We had applied for this grant some time back and were hoping we would get it. This money will be used to purchase a new brush truck for the department.”

Tyler said the grant application requested $125,000 in funds for the purchase of the vehicle.

“I spent about a week getting the grant application completed,” Tyler said. “For $125,000 I don’t mind sitting at a computer for a couple of hours. This is just great. We already have plans to purchase the brush truck. The hard part begins now with getting all of the specification and bid lists ready to bid out the truck we want.”

Tyler said the length of time before Appleton Volunteer Fire Department will take possession of the new vehicle could vary by a few months.

“If we go with a production model truck we could have that in about four months,” Tyler said. “If we decide to go with a custom-built truck it could take about six months. It may be worth the effort and time to get a truck that is specifically designed for our needs.”

The grant of $118,750 shows an award of 95 percent of the requested amount. Tyler said AVFD will be responsible for the additional 5 percent.

“We now have to figure out how we’re going to raise the additional $6,000,” Tyler said. “We’ll have to come up with something.”

The grant award was announced through Sen. Richard Shelby’s office Thursday. Shelby is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and made the announcement that the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved the grant.

The APVD grant was among 13 Alabama fire departments that will receive a portion of the $1,775,100 awarded. The funding for the grants is provided through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and will be used for vehicle acquisitions or operations and safety programs.

Tyler said he has worked to secure other grants over the years and has been successful. Mostly recently APVD acquired a fire truck thanks to grants awarded through various programs.

“It’s almost unheard of for a department to get two vehicle grants,” Tyler said. “We got a grant in 2008 that we used to get a new truck. We are thankful for every dollar we receive.”

Tyler said grants applications currently under review by various organizations will help to fund programs like fire prevention and safety, purchase fire fighting and safety equipment as well as upgrading communications systems.

Shelby said the grants awarded continue to convey a message that this country supports first responders and the work they do.

“Firefighters are in the field every day protecting our citizens,” Shelby said. “We have a responsibility to ensure that our first responders are adequately prepared to respond to any event. These grants are evidence of our nation’s continued commitment to our first responders.”

Other volunteer fire departments receiving portions of the total grant included Geneva, Elba, Cottonton, Hackneyville, Macedonia, Sand Rock, Rosa, Pleasant Grove, Calera, Lawley, Vincent and Brookside.