DNR Director Cameron Clark announced yesterday that 60 rural and volunteer fire departments from 36 Indiana counties have been awarded more than $250,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants.
The DNR Division of Forestry administers the grants that are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The awarded grants ranged $575 to $5,000 and were given to 60 departments.
DNR Forestry staff review grant applications and select recipients on the basis of population density, acres of public wildlands protected, and wildland fire reporting to DNR Fire Control Headquarters. Grants can be used for training, installation of dry hydrants, or to purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wildland fires.
Fire departments interested in applying for VFA grants should write Crystal M. Hunt, Program Coordinator, Fire Control Headquarters, 6220 Forest Road, Martinsville, IN, 46151, or call (765) 342-4701.
Fire departments receiving grants in 2016, county where located (in parentheses), amount of the grant, and the project category are:
Madison Twp. Hoagland VFD (Allen) $4,664 Safety
Woodburn FD (Allen) $3,063 Radios
Hartsville & Community VFD (Bartholomew) $1,358 Water handling
Southwest Bartholomew VFD (Bartholomew) $2,893 Safety
Charlestown VFD (Clark) $5,000 Wildland
Sellersburg VFD (Clark) $5,000 Wildland
Rossville FD (Clinton) $5,000 Safety
Letts Community VFD (Decatur) $2,400 Water handling
Celestine VFD (Dubois) $2,613 Wildland
Dubois VFD (Dubois) $3,940 Safety
Haysville Community VFD (Dubois) $2,462 Radios
Madison Twp. VFD (Dubois) $3,097 Water handling
Schnellville VFD (Dubois) $3,275 Radios
St. Anthony VFD (Dubois) $3,219 Water handling
Georgetown Twp FD (Floyd) $1,418 Wildland
Kingman VFD (Fountain) $4,800 Radios
Aubbeenaubbee Twp VFD (Fulton) $2,307 Wildland
White River Hazelton VFD (Gibson) $4,963 Safety
Eastern FD Beech Creek Twp (Greene) $4,782 Radios
Harrison Twp VFD (Harrison) $5,000 Safety
Jefferson Twp VFD (Henry) $5,000 Wildland
Kennard VFD (Henry) $669 Water handling
Owen Salt Creek Twp VFD (Jackson) $4,996 Water handling
Pershing Twp VFD (Jackson) $1,849 Wildland
Spencer Twp VFD (Jennings) $5,000 Safety
Vincennes Twp VFD (Knox) $4,420 Water handling
LaGrange VFD (LaGrange) $5,000 Safety
Shipshewana VFD (LaGrange) $5,000 Safety
Lowell VFD (Lake) $3,269 Water handling
Cass-Clinton VFD (LaPorte) $5,000 Radios
LaCrosse VFD (LaPorte) $5,000 Safety
Marion Twp RFD (Lawrence) $5,000 Safety
Richland Twp VFD (Madison) $4,086 Safety
Lapaz-North Twp FD (Marshall) $5,000 Safety
Shoals VFD (Martin) $575 Wildland
Benton Twp VFD (Monroe) $5,000 Radios
Bloomington Twp VFD (Monroe) $5,000 Wildland
Ellettsville FD (Monroe) $5,000 Safety
Van Buren Twp FD (Monroe) $2,250 Foam
Ashland & Adams VFD (Morgan) $410 Water handling
Washington Twp VFD (Morgan) $5,000 Safety
Albion VFD (Noble) $5,000 Safety
Bridgeton VFD (Parke) $2,509 Wildland
J.U.G.A. (Bellmore) VFD (Parke) $5,000 Foam
Cannelton VFD (Perry) $2,912 Wildland
Rome VFD (Perry) $759 Foam
Jefferson Twp VFD (Pike) $5,000 Safety
Patoka Twp VFD (Pike) $2,550 Radios
Kouts VFD (Porter) $4,986 Water handling
Morgan Twp VFD (Porter) $5,000 Safety
Porter FD (Porter) $2,500 Safety
White River Twp FD (Randolph) $4,950 Safety
St. Meinrad VFD (Spencer) $5,000 Safety
Liberty Twp VFD (St. Joseph) $1,235 Safety
Southwest Central FT (St. Joseph) $5,000 Water handling
Warren Twp FD (St. Joseph) $4,950 Safety
Seelyville VFD (Vigo) $4,800 Safety
Lagro VFD (Wabash) $1,672 Water handling
Roann VFD (Wabash) $5,000 Safety
Gibson Twp-Little York VFC (Washington) $3,977 Wildland
Media contact: Crystal M. Hunt, DNR Forestry, (765) 342-4701
