Lexington Fire Department recipient of $1M grant

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — The Assistance to Firefighters grant was announced Tuesday at the Lexington Fire Department. $1 million was awarded to the station to help train and certify EMT paramedics.

Mayor Linda Gorton joined Fire Chief Jason Wells to announce the grant.

The grant will help fund emergency medical training and certification for 27 firefighters.

With an uptick in emergency calls since the pandemic, the grant will be crucial in providing more highly-trained paramedics on the front line.

“Last year alone, we responded to over 66,000 emergency calls with at least three-quarters of those being medically related. In order to adequately respond to those calls, it is critical that we have the absolute best-trained and best-prepared paramedics here at the Lexington Fire Department,” Wells said.

Gorton says this is a huge step forward for Lexington and an important investment for the community.

“As mayor, one of my responsibilities is to ensure that our firefighters are well-trained and well-equipped. Today’s announcement is about an important investment in their training and in Lexington’s community safety. So, congratulations and thank you so much we’re really excited about this class,” she added.