KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Seventy East Tennessee fire departments and rescue squads received over $3.25 million in grants from the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance on Monday.
The grants were given out during a luncheon in Morristown to celebrate East Tennessee fire departments and rescue squads’ members representing Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson and Sevier counties. The grants are a part of the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program.
One notable department to receive a grant was the Pittman Center Volunteer Fire Department, which got $10,296. They intend to stop all operations effective October 31 and are seeking to be merged or absorbed by Sevier County Fire and Rescue. The decision to end operations was made because of ongoing staffing issues, despite extensive recruitment and retention efforts…