Several fire departments/districts in southern IL to receive grants

(KBSI) – Several fire departments/districts in southern Illinois will receive grants from the Illinois State Fire Marshal.

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced today the recipients of the 2024 Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of $4 million was awarded to 165 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment.

This program is to help fire departments and not-for profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have hardships in generating the necessary revenue for small equipment. The purpose is to allow eligible applicants the opportunity to purchase small equipment that they may otherwise not be able to purchase.

The OSFM received 417 applications that requested around $9.5 million in funding for this grant period.

“We continue to see and hear about the need and understand the issues fire departments face when it comes to funding across the state. I am proud this year we were able to increase our grant funding to $4 million, a $2.5 million increase from last year, which has allowed us to award over 100 more departments money to purchase lifesaving tools they might not have been able to afford otherwise,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera.

Most Illinois fire departments, fire protections districts, township fire departments, and stand-alone, nonprofit ambulance service providers were eligible to apply.

All fire departments, fire protections districts and township fire department applicants were required to have participated in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for a minimum of two years before applying.

Counties in the FOX23 News viewing area receiving grants:

Alexander:

• Tamms Fire Department – $26,000

Franklin:

• Coello Volunteer Fire Department – $26,000
• West Frankfort Fire Department – $26,000

Gallatin:

• Shawneetown Fire Department – $26,000
• Equality Fire Department – $24,976
• Ridgeway Fire Department – $26,000

Hamilton:

• McLeansboro Fire Department – $26,000

Jackson:

• Makanda Township Fire Department – $25,981.25
• Dowell Volunteer Fire Department – $25,842

Jefferson:

• Woodlawn Fire Protection District – $25,500
• Waltonville Fire Protection District – $24,292.75

Massac:

• Massac County Fire Protection District – $25,898.08
• Metropolis Fire Department – $24,480

Perry:

• City of DuQuoin Fire Department – $25,100

Pope:

• Rural Pope County Fire Protection District – $25,922.44

Pulaski:

• Karnak Fire Department – $24,702.80
• Pulaski Fire Department – $25,345.99

Saline:

• Village of Carrier Mills Fire Department – $24,500

Union:

• Jonesboro Fire Department – $24,016
• Dongola Fire Department – $23,826.85
• Alto Pass Fire Protection District – $25,515

Williamson:

• Energy Volunteer Fire Department – $25,145.42
• Hurst Fire Department – $26,000
• Cambria Fire Department – $11,000

Tap here to see a list of all the fire departments in the state receiving money.