The Fayette

County Department of Fire and Emergency Services has been awarded a national

grant to purchase special uniforms that will add an extra layer of protection

for local firefighters.

The $75,000

grant from the U.S. Fire Administration will pay 90 percent of the costs

for the new uniforms, which will serve as the fire personnel's regular

duty uniforms, said Capt. Pete Nelms.

The uniforms

are made of a material called Nomex, which is flame-resistant. The safety

measure will provide an extra layer of protection for the firefighters,

Nelms said.

The uniforms,

which were specifically designed for firefighting use, will be worn under

each firefighter's turnout gear, Nelms added.

The uniforms

will also help the department meet a personal protection guideline of

the National Fire Protection Association.

"Those

are safety standards we all try to achieve," Nelms said. "We

want to enhance the safety of our firefighting personnel and the public

at all costs."

Competition

for the grant money was intense, Nelms said. Although all the grants haven't

been awarded, the department was among 353 recipients named among over

19,000 grant applications submitted totalling almost $3 billion in requests.

The uniforms

will likely be acquired in the next month or two, Nelms said.