The Unicoi County Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) has been awarded federal dollars in the amount of nearly a quarter million dollars to recruit and retain firefighters. The Unicoi VFD said the funding will help revamp the department and improve service to the community.The Department said on Facebook that it received a Federal Department of Homeland Security Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant with the money to be used over a 4-year period.