EMMET CO., MI -- A large grant is going to allow an Emmet County fire department to better protect itself from fire.

The Resort Bear Creek Fire Department was awarded a $115,000 grant by FEMA to install sprinkler systems in their two fire halls.

The fire chief says there's more than a million dollars of equipment in each station and a sprinkler system makes sense.

"A sprinkler system is the first early protector in a fire, it's designed to control and contain the fire until we get here, so it just makes a lot of sense," said Chief Al Welsheimer.

Resort and Bear Creek Townships will chip in close to $60,000 each toward the sprinkler project.

The hope is to begin installing the sprinklers this fall and have them operational next winter.