The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded a grant worth $7,505 to the Linville Volunteer Fire Department.

Congressman Patrick McHenry made the announcement Wednesday.

McHenry said the grant comes in the first round of this year’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which aims to help firefighters and first responders throughout the country.

The grant funds will be used to purchase a thermal imager for the department, which will help to find the source of fires faster.  The thermal imager is also a useful tool that can be used in search operations because it picks up the heat given off by humans.

McHenry said, “Linville VFD covers a vast, mountainous response area and the thermal imager will be a valuable tool for this department not just in firefighting, but with search and rescue operations for missing persons.  I have seen the capabilities of imagers such as this while touring several fire departments and the technology is truly remarkable.”