Bremen Fire Dept. receives $50K from Public Safety Grant for life-saving equipment upgrades

The Bremen Fire Department is getting a significant equipment upgrade thanks to Marshall County's Public Safety Grant program, after Fire Chief Matt Neher appeared before the Marshall County Commissioners Monday to seek approval of the department's maximum grant request of $50,000.

The Commissioners approved the request as part of the county's $400,000 Public Safety Grant, which was budgeted jointly by the Marshall County Commissioners and County Council for 2026. Under the program, each of the county's eight fire departments is eligible to apply for up to $50,000, provided they meet the ordinance requirements that include participating in the EMA trainings offered.

Chief Neher outlined a focused and practical list of purchases that address some of the department's most pressing equipment needs. At the top of the list: replacing the department's aging defibrillators. The AEDs currently in service have reached their end-of-life designation from manufacturer Cardiac Science, prompting the purchase of eight new fully automatic AEDs to ensure firefighters and first responders have reliable, modern cardiac equipment ready when seconds count.

The department also purchased a battery-powered positive pressure ventilation fan — a versatile and increasingly essential piece of firefighting equipment. Unlike gas-powered alternatives, the battery-operated fan produces no fumes, making it safer and easier to deploy inside structures. The fan can be quickly used to help clear smoke from a building during or after a fire, improving both visibility and safety for crews working inside.

In what may be the most significant upgrade, the department is also replacing some of its Hurst extrication equipment — the powerful hydraulic tools commonly known as the "Jaws of Life" — which were originally purchased back in 2000. A fundraising drive held through the Firemen's Association generated funds toward the purchase of new battery-operated Hurst extrication tools and mounting brackets, with the balance of the cost being covered by the Public Safety Grant.

The total cost of all purchases exceeds the $50,000 grant amount. The Firemen's Association will contribute additional funds, with the remainder coming from the department's regular operating budget to cover the difference.

Chief Neher took a moment to express his appreciation for the county's Public Safety Grant initiative, calling the funding over the past couple of years a "huge help financially" to the Bremen Fire Department — an acknowledgment of just how vital the program has become for smaller departments working to maintain modern, life-saving equipment on tight budgets.

The Marshall County Public Safety Grant program reflects the county's commitment to ensuring that all eight of its fire departments have access to the tools and training they need to protect residents across the region.