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OHIO — Fire departments in rural areas will receive a total of $593,000 for 95 projects, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry announced Thursday.
The funding is through the Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program, ODNR said.
“In addition to wildland fire training, this funding helps departments serving Ohio’s wildfire protection area enhance their equipment and operational readiness,” said Dan Balser, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry. “Investing in local departments strengthens emergency response at the community level.”
The VFA grants are for fire departments that have at least 80% volunteer firefighters and serve areas with a population of less than 10,000 people within the ODNR Forestry wildfire protection area.
Fire departments may use the funds to purchase all-terrain vehicles, wildfire water tanks and pump units, wildfire and structure fire safety equipment, radios, tools and more, according to ODNR. The grants can fund up to 50% of the total project cost, but they are to not exceed $10,000 per grant.
“Many rural fire departments in Ohio have tight budgets, and most of their limited resources must be focused on keeping essential emergency services running,” ODNR wrote in a release. “ODNR Forestry’s VFA grant program helps supplement fire department budgets and facilitates important purchases, such as firefighter personal protective equipment and basic fire suppression equipment.”
A list of the fire departments receiving the grants is below:
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