Blagojevich announces grants for volunteer fire assistance programs

SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - Governor Rod Blagojevich today announced that residents and property owners in 50 Illinois communities will benefit from $302,865 in matching grants to rural fire protection districts and fire departments.  The funds will go towards acquiring equipment and paying for training through the federal Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program.

 

"Proper fire safety and response requires the right equipment and the right training," said Governor Blagojevich. "This money will allow dozens of communities around the state to enhance their equipment and better train those men and women that make it their business to save others lives each and every day."

 

The grants reimburse 50 percent of the recipient's cost for providing training and acquiring equipment to assist local firefighters.  Grant recipients must make the initial financial outlay for the projects before being reimbursed.

 

The U.S. Forest Service grant program is administered in Illinois by the Department of Natural Resources.

 

"The grant funding is very important to these local firefighters and fire departments," said IDNR Director Joel Brunsvold.  "Tens of thousands of residents, business owners and landowners in all parts of Illinois benefit from the program."

 

The latest grant recipients and project information are listed below.

 

Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program Awards - Illinois

· Barry Fire Protection District, Barry, Pike County, $2,202 (Contact: Kenneth Cooley,
217/335-2814)

· Breese Fire District, Breese, Clinton County, $9,500 (Contact: Daniel T. Wobbe,
618/526-7231)

· Buncombe Volunteer Fire Department, Buncombe, Johnson County, $2,513 (Contact: Richard D. Davis, 618/771-2277)

· Byron Fire Protection District, Byron, Ogle County, $8,875 (Contact: Tony Dinges, 815/234-4911)

· Carlyle Fire Protection District, Carlyle, Clinton County, $9,500 (Contact: James Mahlandt, 618/594-2451)

· Carthage Clipper Fire Department, Carthage, Hancock County, $4,800 (Contact: Tony Slater, 217/357-2110)

· Chester Fire Department, Chester, Randolph County, $2,750 (Contact: Michael Lochhead, 618/826-1516)

· City of Clinton Fire Department, Clinton, Dewitt County, $4,912 (Contact: Tim Followell, 217/935-6552)

· Clayton Fire Protection District, Clayton, Adams County, $4,498 (Contact: Sam Miller, 217/894-6512)

· Compton Community Fire Protection District, Compton, Lee County, $9,500 (Contact: Joe Askins, 815/497-2023)

· Dowell Fire Department, Dowell, Jackson County, $5,250 (Contact: Allen Cavih, 618/568-1513)

· Equality Fire Department, Equality, Gallatin County, $8,800 (Contact: Jim Frohock, 618/276-4248)

· Erie Fire Department, Erie, Whiteside County, $8,172 (Contact: Darin Keith, 309/737-1091)

· Findlay Fire Protection District, Findlay, Shelby County, $9,375 (Contact: Robert D. Buck, 217/756-5502)

· Forman Fire Protection District, Manito, Mason County, $9,499 (Contact: Robert Worner, 309/968-6902)

· Freeport Rural Fire Protection District, Freeport, Stephenson County, $9,281 (Contact: Keith Hinrichs, 815/233-5030 )

· Goreville Fire Department, Johnson County, $1,025 (Contact: Tim Gage, 618/995-1330)

· Homer Fire Protection District, Homer, Champaign County, $7,800 (Contact: Tom Rushing 217/896-2333)

· Keyesport Fire Protection District, Keyesport, Bond County, $8,600 (Contact: Harold R. Gray, 618/749-5559)

· Kirkland Community Fire District, Kirkland, Dekalb County, $7,000 (Contact: Mike Stott, 815/522-6107)

· Lebanon-Emerald Mound Fire Department, Lebanon, St Clair County, $2,935 (Contact: Thomas L Myers, 618/537-6196)


· Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District, Lincoln, Logan County, $1,243 (Contact: Robert E. Thomas, 217/732-6697)

· Maeystown Fire Protection District, Maeystown, Monroe County, $2,500 (Contact: Lynden Pyrange, 618/458-6560)

· Massac County Fire Protection District, Metropolis, Massac County, $9,500 (Contact: Mike Childers, 618/524-3200)

· Mendota-Troy Grove Rural Fire Department, Troy Grove, LaSalle County, $9,468 (Contact: Brian Bice, 815/539-9961)

· Monroe Township Fire Protection District, Monroe Center, Ogle County, $5,333 (Contact: Jim Meyers 815/393-4222)

· Murrayville Fire Department, Murrayville, Morgan County, $8,813 (Contact: John Walbaum, 217/882-5371)

· New Athens Fire Protection District, New Athens, St. Clair County, $8,945 (Contact: Wayne Parker, 618/475-3645)

· New Grand Chain Volunteer Fire Department, Grand Chain, Pulaski County, $1,190 (Contact: Toby Oliver, 618/634-9084)

· Ohio Volunteer Fire Department/Ohio Fire Protection District, Ohio, Bureau County, $6,904 (Contact: Jeffrey D. Townsend, 815/875-4444)

· Palmyra Volunteer Fire Department, Palmyra, Macoupin County, $3,000 (Contact: Raymond Rich, 217/436-2114)

· Patoka Fire Protection District, Patoka, Marion County, $6,175 (Contact: R. Blake Hyde, 618/432-7258)

· Pawnee Fire Protection District, Pawnee, Sangamon County, $2,875 (Contact: Walter Funsch, 217/625-3131)

· Pecatonica Fire Protection District, Pecatonica, Winnebago County, $9,500 (Contact: Steve Van Vleck, 815/239-2513)

· Pittsfield Fire Department, Pittsfield, Pike County, $3,000 (Contact: Randall Ruble, 217/370-1051)

· Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District, Pleasant Hill, Pike County, $1,692 (Contact: Chuck Prater, 217/734-2938)

· Pocahontas-Old Ripley Fire Protection District, Pocahontas, Bond County, $9,482 (Contact: Kathy Brink, 618/669-2349)

· Polo Fire Protection District, Polo, Ogle County, $9,479 (Contact: Charles Clothier, 815/946-2436)

· Prairie du Rocher Community Fire Department, Prairie du Rocher, Randolph County, $4,658 (Contact: Randall Brawn, 618/284-7141)

· Rochester Fire Protection District, Rochester, Sangamon County, $5,635 (Contact: Richard Rentschler 217/498-7121)

· Rural Pope County Fire Protection District, Golconda, Pope County, $7,413 (Contact: Vincent Baker, 618/683-9525)

· Saint Libory Fire Protection District, Saint Libory, St. Clair County, $6,150 (Contact: Mark Scheiper, 618/768-4941)

· Salina Township Fire Protection District, Bonfield, Kankakee County, $2,557 (Contact: Richard W. Cochran, 815/937-2628)

· Savanna Volunteer Fire Department, Savanna, Carroll County, $9,500 (Contact: Shawn Picolotti, 815/273-2246)

· Sheffield Fire Protection District, Sheffield, Bureau County, $2,250 (Contact: Leif Porter, 815/454-2629)

· Smithboro Fire Protection District, Smithboro, Bond County, $1,799 (Contact: Dale R. Deverick, 618/664-2697)

· Spring Grove Fire Protection District, Spring Grove, McHenry County, $7,704 (Contact: Richard Tobiasz, 815/675-2450)

· Steger Estates Fire Department, Crete, Will County, $1,484 (Contact: Matt Lake, 708/481-3358)

· Vandalia Volunteer Fire Department, Vandalia, Fayette County, $8,000 (Contact: Merle Adermann, 618/283-0556)

· Wauconda Fire Department, Wauconda, Lake/McHenry counties, $9,500 (Contact: Vince Clemens, 847/526-2821)