Belle Plaine Emergency Medical Services has been awarded a grant in the amount $119,890.  The total approved project cost is $126,200 of which the City of Belle Plaine will supply $6,310 toward the purchase of a new ambulance.  The grant is through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and helps firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.  The grant is a result of the grant writing expertise of the Sumner County Economic Development Commission (Janis Hellard) and Cort Anderson from the City of Belle Plaine.  If all goes well, a totally customized Chevrolet ambulance will be in operation by December 2010.

More than 2,700 awards were granted across the United States for 2009.  Other Sumner County recipients include Wellington Fire/EMS Department ($46,550) and Mulvane EMS ($23,000) for equipment purchases.