By Sharon Kiley Mack
Bangor Daily News (Maine)
Copyright 2006 Bangor Daily News
DETROIT, Maine — The Detroit Fire Department, once so scorned by neighboring departments that they canceled their mutual aid agreements, received notification Wednesday that it will receive $285,000 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security funds to upgrade equipment.
“Boy, that’s good news,” First Selectman Joseph Cianchette said upon hearing of the award. "[Chief] Donny Chute did an excellent job. There is a little different attitude around town about today’s department. It’s called pride.”
Detroit’s selectmen shut down the fire department in the summer of 2005, padlocked the fire station and dismissed every firefighter on the roster. The department had come under criticism publicly and privately for more than a decade. There were claims that firefighters were showing up at fires and accidents while intoxicated, and their training experience was frequently questioned.
At one point, several towns canceled their mutual aid agreements with Detroit, citing the department’s inadequacies.
During the rebuilding of the department, firefighters were required to reapply, and along with a combination of state and federal grants, a new $250,000 fire station was constructed next to the town office on Route 220.
Chute could not be reached for comment on the grant.
Detroit’s award was the largest grant of five made to Maine fire departments and announced jointly by U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.
“The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program has been an extremely critical source of funds for Maine fire stations,” Snowe and Collins said in a joint statement. “The grants will provide these important first responders with the equipment and training they need to better serve each of their communities.”
The following departments will receive funding through the Vehicle Acquisition program, which helps departments purchase equipment such as pumpers, brush trucks, tankers-tenders, rescue vehicles, ambulances, aerials, foam units, and fireboats.
. $171,000 to the Weeks Mills Volunteer Fire Department.
. $285,000 to the Detroit Volunteer Fire Department.
In addition, the following departments will receive funding through the Operations and Firefighting Safety Program, which consists of training, equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to the departments facilities:
. $75,687 to the Presque Isle Fire Department.
. $76,902 to the Sangerville Fire Department.
. $48,872 to the Van Buren Fire Department.
. $25,840 to the Wellington Volunteer Fire Department.