Russellville FD lands funds for physical fitness

By Staff
Mike Self, FCT Sports Editor
The Russellville city council voted at Monday's regular meeting to approve a five-percent local cash match for a physical fitness grant recently received by the Russellville Fire Department.
Fire chief Joe Mansell said the total amount of the grant is $67,100, with 95 percent coming from Homeland Security and the remaining five percent ($3,371) from the city of Russellville.
"The number one cause of death for firefighters is heart-related, so this is definitely something we wanted to try," Mansell said.
"About $30,000 of the grant will go towards furnishing general fitness equipment for the department, and the remaining amount will be used for several different purposes. There are so many shots each fireman has to have, and someone will actually have to come in and set up the fitness program for us. Also, there will be a dietician who will come in and give us information on what to eat and what not to eat."
Mansell said the physical fitness program, which he expects to be up and running by February, will be mandatory for each member of the department.
"Everybody will have to participate," he said. "You really can't apply for this type of grant money without expecting 100 percent participation."