It’s the season for gifts, and two local volunteer fire departments were the recipients of such generosity recently.

The domino effect is that the residents of Millers Ferry and Burnsville will have additional support from their fire departments as a result.

The Burnsville Volunteer Fire Department received $43,329 in funds from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby announced last week.

The funds were awarded for domestic preparedness as part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The Millers Ferry VFD received

a 1972 Chevy G30 van that had been used as a salvage van by the Lambeth Community VFD.

The van was donated to the Millers Ferry Volunteer Fire

Department by the Flomaton, Lambeth and Roberts Fire Departments.

The van came with several pieces of additional equipment, including air tanks, back packs with face masks, fire boots, a box of road flares, two 5-gallon containers foam spray, a fire suit, a fire coat, fire helmets, a fire hydrant wrench, fire hoses and extra face masks.

The Millers Ferry Volunteer Fire Department is currently building a structure to house its fire trucks, and is holding several fund-raisers to gather money to pay for the building and other equipment needed by the fire department.

It’s important for local residents to support their volunteer fire departments.

You certainly want them to be prepared if the day comes when they respond to a call at your house.