By John Hernandez
Oracle Fire Department Battalion Chief Larry Southard was selected to receive this year’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to attend the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
This grant is extremely coveted and the grant writing efforts to get it are very competitive. Only 75 people in the country are chosen to receive this grant each year. One hundred percent of the trip is paid for including room and board as well as the training. Larry will receive training in Fire Service Management and Administration.
The National Fire Academy (NFA) is the country’s pre-eminent Federal fire training and educational institution. It functions as the center of the nation’s efforts in fire service education. It provides model programs, curricula, and information. The NFA is operated by FEMA at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg which is about 48 miles from Baltimore, Maryland. It is operated and governed by the United States Fire Administration as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Battalion Chief Southard will receive some of the best emergency management training in the world.
Congratulations, Larry!