South Toe Fire and Rescue will receive a $350,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Fire-fighters Grant program to upgrade to VIPER radios to improve communications for emergency responders. South Toe was one of ten fire departments in North Carolina awarded funding adding up to $2.5 million. The funding will help insure that fire departments across the state have the resources needed to protect families and the tools and equipment to keep fire-fighters safe when they step into harms way. The VIPER project is part of a move to construct a state-wide voice radio communications system for emergency responders.