The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department regularly researches and applies for local, state and federal grants in an ongoing effort to keep Norfolk residents safe while also reducing the financial burden on taxpayers. Recently these efforts have met with success, and the department has received two grants that will be of great help in their work.

The first is a scholarship fund, donated in honor of Eve and John Thew. The donors, a couple in town who wish to remain anonymous, are giving $250 each year for at least the next three years, 2018 to 2020. The NVFD has decided to use the money to further the education of their members, and the 2018 portion will be used to send a member to EMT class.

The second award is a Walmart Community Grant for $1,000. The NVFD is using this money to purchase three large-screen monitors—two placed inside the firehouse and one inside the Emergency Operations Center at Town Hall. These monitors display an electronic status board using a program called Spotted Dog. This program allows the NVFD to digitize all of their response information, including information on certain buildings in town, on hydrant locations and on houses with limited access where it may be impossible to get large trucks to the address.

The program also allows members of the NVFD to use an app on their smart phones to share with other members their estimated time of arrival at the firehouse or a fire scene.  This will not only enable a quicker department response but also increase firefighter safety.