Duke Energy offers $500,000 to support South Carolina first responders

Group 1 - The Duke Energy Foundation is offering $500,000 through the 2025 HERO Grant Program to support severe weather emergency preparedness in South Carolina [1][2][6] - Grants of up to $20,000 are available for training, life-saving equipment, and innovative technology to aid in disaster planning and recovery operations [1][3] - The HERO Grant Program has provided a total of $2 million in funding over four years, supporting 99 microgrants since 2022 [6][7] Group 2 - The funding aims to help local governments and nonprofits improve their planning and responses to severe weather events, particularly in low-income communities [2][3] - Duke Energy Foundation provides over $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet community needs [5] - The company is focused on enhancing emergency response capabilities, as demonstrated by testimonials from local fire department chiefs regarding the impact of previous grants [7]