When news breaks somewhere on Bainbridge Island, the local TV station no longer has to worry about how to get there.

Less than a year after creating a news broadcast, Bainbridge Island Television has secured a $30,000 grant for a van to take equipment and newscasters to the scene.

The van, a new Honda Element, will allow staff members to avoid using their own vehicles for news coverage, said BITV Executive Director Scott Schmidt.

The grant comes from the Seattle Foundation via the C. Keith Birkenfeld Memorial Trust.

The van is due to arrive in two weeks, said Schmidt, adding that the new vehicle will allow the station to increase its presence in the area.

“We want to be a part of the community, and we want the community to be a part of the news, in a good way,” he said.