BEAUFORT, S.C. (Sept. 16, 2021) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $418,060 grant to the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) will cover the training for firefighters to attend paramedic, and basic and advanced emergency medical technician training. The City of Beaufort will contribute another $41,806 to the budget for training.
Last year, the City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department received a Department of Homeland Security grant of $220,824, allowing the department to train 30 firefighters to the EMT-Advanced level. This grant allowed the department to provide advanced skills and provide limited pharmacological interventions to emergency patients. On July 1, the level of medical care the department was qualified to provide went from Basic Life Support (BLS) to Intermediate Life Support (ILS).
Fire Chief Tim Ogden said, “This is a great opportunity for our firefighters to increase their knowledge and better serve our community.”