Three Yuba County first-responder agencies will purchase new equipment with the help of Yuba Water Agency’s Bill Shaw Rescue Equipment and Training Grant Program.
Each of these agencies provide emergency and rescue services for areas near Yuba Water Agency’s facilities and for people enjoying the recreation at New Bullards Bar and along the Yuba River.
Grant funding from Yuba Water Agency will be used to purchase the following equipment:
Yuba County Rural Fire Joint Powers Agency - $10,000
This grant will fund battery backup systems for the radio repeaters in the foothills, which will be critical to ensuring fire response during power outages.
A radio repeater is a combination of a radio receiver and a radio transmitter that receives a signal and transmits it, so that two-way radio signals are able to cover long distances.
PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff program, which requires shutting off power during periods of extreme fire danger, recommends backup power for the five radio repeater sites for up to five days. The current battery backup systems only last up to 24 hours.
The Yuba County Rural Fire Joint Powers Agency includes the Camptonville Volunteer Fire Department, Dobbins/Oregon House Fire Protection District, Foothill Fire Protection District, Loma Rica/Browns Valley Fire District and Smartsville Fire Protection District.
Smartsville Fire Protection District - $10,000
This funding will help the Smartsville Fire Protection District purchase new communication equipment.
The district’s current communication equipment is in rough shape and nearing the end of its life, and this grant will provide funding towards 20 handheld radios, 20 spare batteries, 20 pagers and six vehicle mounted radios.
Camptonville Fire Department - $10,000
This grant will cover the costs to purchase wildland fire suppression and protective equipment for the Camptonville Volunteer Fire Department.
The fire department is in short supply of these necessary items, and these funds will allow the department to buy wildland hoses, nozzles and protective equipment.
Bill Shaw Grants
Yuba Water Agency’s Bill Shaw Rescue Equipment and Training Grant Program, which was created in 2018, is designed for first-responder agencies in Yuba County and will cover the one-time costs of up to $10,000 per applicant annually, associated with the purchase of rescue equipment and specialized personnel training. Since its inception, the program has supported 12 agencies with $128,500 in grants.