The city council Thursday okayed application for a $9,000 federal grant for a "talking mini-pumper" - which, Chief Dick Taylor says, will take the place of a fireman-lecturer during such presenations.
"Kids, basically, associate with a little mechanized device that stands about...five feet tall," Taylor said of the piece of equipment. He added its about the size of a go-cart.
"They warm up to something like that a whole lot quicker than they do humans standing there lecturing to them."
Chief Dick Taylor says there is a ten percent local match required by the Department of Homeland Security grant. He added there's no guarantee that even after applying for the grant it will be awarded.
"That's all subject to the feds granting that grant application."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/9/151494