SOUTHSIDE, Ala., November 16, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Alabama State Director Nivory Gordon today announced USDA is investing $4.1 million to fund the construction of a new fire station for the town of Southside, Alabama. This facility will greatly enhance the capability of the town’s emergency services.
"Wherever you may be in Alabama, when you dial 911 you have an expectation that someone is going to answer that call”, Gordon said. “With this investment here today, we are empowering rural first responders, and giving them the facilities that they need to help save the lives of rural residents in Etowah County.”
USDA is financing this project through a loan of $4,166,000 under the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. This investment will be used to construct the town’s new fire station. This new station will have the capacity to house four fire trucks with drive-through bays for each truck. This investment will also provide facilities to allow the station to be continually staffed, reducing the response time of firefighters and helping to save lives and reduce property damage. This investment will benefit 8,412 rural residents in rural Etowah County, Alabama.
Background:
The Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Alabama, contact your local USDA Rural Development area office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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