Tyler Fire Department suits up for training to launch TFD’s new bomb team. (Contributed Photo) 

Wednesday morning, the City of Tyler announced that the Tyler Fire Department accepted an $82,000 grant to invest in a new bomb team.

This grant will be used to purchase two bomb suits and additional equipment for the bomb team that is currently being formed by Tyler Fire.

“We started planning this in March of 2018. Planning to put an EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) team here in the city of Tyler and for the region. The FBI approved that and they gave us a list of equipment that we needed in order to get the team going,” Fire Chief David Coble said.

The grant came from the East Texas Council of Governments at the City Council meeting to support programs and projects aimed at maintaining and enhancing the city of Tyler’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

Three fire investigators are in the process of completing a six-week training course to become the department’s first certified public safety bomb technicians. Upon completion of the course, TFD will begin and lead the city and region’s first accredited bomb team.

“This process began back in March of 2018,” Coble said. “After training, our team will be capable of responding to calls within our region and surrounding areas. Our personnel will continue joint training and exercises at partnering sites and many of the large special events that take place throughout the year across the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which will continue to enhance their knowledge base and hone their skills.”

This grant was funded through the Office of the Texas Governor’s Homeland Security Grant Division and State Homeland Security Program, as managed by the East Texas Council of Governments.