MARION COUNTY, Fla.– Marion County Fire Rescue HazMat and the North Central Florida Urban Search and Rescue Team (Task Force 8) will receive a helping hand from the federal government soon thanks to monies allotted through a 2008-2009 Department of Homeland Security grant.

MCFR applied for the grant earlier this year to help with its HazMat and urban search and rescue activities. MCFR serves as the lead agency in Task Force 8, which comprises technicians from Alachua County, Marion County, Gainesville and Ocala fire rescue departments. Money from the grant will help sustain federally funded equipment, replace obsolete or broken devices and help provide specialized training for MCFR HazMat and Task Force 8 crews.

The Homeland Security Grant will reimburse HazMat and the task force up to $287,360 for approved budgeted needs. MCFR HazMat already has at least one idea of an item the crew will purchase with the help of the grant – a new chemical identification device used to recognize unknown chemicals and explosives, a tool that will make chemical identification quicker and can be used to save lives in critical situations.

The Homeland Security grant was established after the Sept. 11 attacks to prepare local and state agencies to handle possible terrorist incidents. Every Florida task force team receives funds annually from the Homeland Security grant.