IDNR Announces Volunteer Fire Assistance Program Grants

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that residents and property owners in 61 Illinois communities will benefit from $512,217 in matching grants to rural fire protection districts and fire departments through the federal Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program.

"The federal funding that supports this program provides important assistance to rural and small town fire departments as they upgrade their firefighting equipment and training," Governor Quinn said.  "Homeowners, business owners and other residents of these communities are the real beneficiaries of this assistance to their firefighters."

The Volunteer Fire Assistance grant program reimburses 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 grants announced today are supporting more than $1 million in local projects.

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

"The new equipment or training that these grants are helping to provide will enable local fire departments to do an even better job of protecting their communities," said IDNR Director Marc Miller.

A list of the 61 grant recipients is below.

Volunteer Fire Assistance Program Local Agency Grant Awards