CAIRO, Ill. (AP) — A southwest Illinois county is expected to receive a $25,000 federal grant to go toward a truck to help improve response times to emergencies requiring heavy equipment.
The (Carbondale) Southern Illinoisan reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Rural Development funds for Alexander County come after a visit from U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth earlier in July. Duckworth’s tour included meetings with residents at housing developments who are being relocated because of extreme disrepair.
Federal officials say the money will be used to buy a Ford F250 4×4 vehicle that’ll be used with emergency equipment. At the moment, the county relies on volunteers for help requiring heavy equipment.