Illinois State Fire Marshal Awards $3.5 Million In Grants To Illinois First Responders

Springfield, Ill- The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and Governor JB Pritzker have announced the recipients of the Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of $3.5 million was awarded to 154 fire departments/districts and EMS providers. The OSFM received 540 applications, requesting around $12 million in funding during this grant period.

“First responders put their lives on the line every single day to do the critical work of protecting Illinois’ communities. I am pleased to award $3.5 million in small equipment grants to 154 fire departments and EMS providers throughout the state that will enable the purchase of new firefighting and ambulance equipment,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am grateful for the work our first responders do, and how they work so diligently to maintain the safety of our families.”

The Small Equipment Grant Program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. This program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for the 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.

“Ensuring that first responders have the equipment they need to operate effectively and safely is a top priority of the OSFM. Most smaller departments and districts struggle financially to replace or upgrade aging equipment. The impending fiscal impacts resulting from the COVID19 crisis make the OSFM’s Small Equipment Grant Program even more critical to help ease that burden,” says Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez.

“This is an awesome program and benefits my department in many ways. With everything going on in the world today, my department and many other departments have had to cancel fundraisers which provides funding to purchase equipment. We currently are using air-packs that are 20 years old, the bottles still pass all testing, but we are in much need of an upgrade. My firefighters, I believe, feel safer knowing we are providing them with state-of-the-art equipment when they put their life on the line as volunteers,” says Ava Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rodney Anderson.

“The Mokena Fire Protection District (MFPD) recently received grant funding through the OSFM Small Equipment Grant Program to purchase three 800 Mhz portable radios allowing enhanced emergency communications and response while creating a safer situation during emergencies. As resources have diminished for all taxing bodies, it has become increasingly important to seek alternative sources of funding. Without the support of the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Mokena Fire Protection District would not be able to acquire much needed equipment such as these portable radios used to protect the stakeholders of the MFPD,” says Mokena Fire Protect District Fire Chief Howard Stephens.

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 prior to applying.

Grant recipients and awards are listed below:

Adams:
Mendon Fire Protection District- $26,000
Payson Fall-Creek Fire Protection District- $24,240

Alexander:
Tamms Volunteer Fire Department- $26,000

Bond:
Pocahontas-Old Ripley Fire Protection District- $9,780
Smithboro Fire Protection District- $26,000
Keyesport Fire Protection District- $22,068.40

Bureau:
Manlius Fire Protection District- $26,000
Dalzell Fire Protection District- $17,533

Calhoun:
Richwood Volunteer Fire Department- $25,895.65
Calhoun County Volunteer Ambulance Service- $25,999

Carroll:
Chadwick Fire Protection District- $24,550
Savanna Fire Department- $26,000

Cass/Morgan:
Arenzville Fire Protection District- $26,000

Champaign:
Sangamon Valley Fire Protection District- $24,270
Pesotum Fire Department- $22,366.45

Christian:
Pana Fire Department- $21,130
Owaneco Fire Protection District- $19,275
Assumption Fire Protection District- $25,008.95
Morrisonville Community Ambulance Service- $17,504.91
Midland Fire Protection District- $8,800

Clay/Effingham:
North Clay Fire Protection District- $26,000

Clinton:
Sugar Creek Ambulance Service- $17,523.40
Wheatfield Township Fire Protection District- $24,750
Santa Fe Fire Protection District- $26,000
Hoffman Fire Protection District- $25,600

Coles:
Oakland Community Fire Protection District- $25,435
Seven Hickory Morgan Fire Protection District- $26,000
Hutton Fire Protection District- $14,506

Cook:
Robbins Fire Department- $25,002

Crawford:
Oblong Township Fire Protection District- $26,000

Douglas:
Camargo Countryside Fire Protection District- $26,000

Edgar:
Chrisman Fire Protection District- $9,735
Northern Edgar County Ambulance Service- $22,031.75
Brocton Fire Protection District- $21,373

Edwards:
West Salem Fire Department- $15,845

Effingham:
Watson Fire Protection District- $14,056
Tri-County Fire Protection District- $25,142.04

Fayette:
St. Elmo Fire Protection District- $26,000

Ford:
Melvin Fire Protection District- $18,654.05

Fulton:
Cuba Fire Protection District- $10,275
Smithfield Fire Protection District- $25,972

Gallatin:
Omaha Fire and Rescue- $26,000

Grundy:
Braceville Fire Protection District- $21,690

Hancock:
Carthage Fire Department- $21,375
LaHarpe Fire Protection District- $24,080

Henry:
Cambridge Fire Protection District- $26,000
Osco Fire Protection District- $16,150
Clover Township Fire Protection District- $11,678.73
Bishop Hill Community Fire Protection District- $7,449

Iroquois:
Papineau Fire Protection District- $19,329

Jackson:
Campbell Hill Community Volunteer Fire Department- $25,962.88
Tower Rock Fire Protection District- $25,696.52
Ava Volunteer Fire Department- $26,000

Jefferson:
Woodlawn Fire Protection District- $24,838.38
Waltonville Fire Protection District- $25,988

Jo Davies:
Galena Area Emergency Medical Service District- $26,000

Johnson:
Buncombe Volunteer Fire Department- $25,487.76

Kendall:
Lisbon-Seward Fire Department- $25,500

Knox:
Maquon Fire Protection District- $23,294.45
Rio Fire Protection District- $23,899
Victoria Copley Fire Protection District- $16,494.87
Elba-Salem Fire Protection District- $26,000

LaSalle:
Naplate Fire Department- $24,560
Cedar Point Fire Department- $17,287
Earlville Fire Protection District- $25,415
Utica Community Fire and Ambulance Protection District- $21,500

Lee:
Compton Community Fire Protection District- $26,000
Franklin Grove Fire Protection District- $23,317

Livingston:
Emington-Campus Fire Protection District- $26,000
Chatsworth Fire Protection District- $25,350
Forrest-Strawn-Wing Fire Protection District- $25,650

Logan:
New Holland Fire Protection District- $24,756.80
Latham Fire Protection District- $26,000

Macon:
Maroa Countryside Fire Protection District- $26,000
Harristown Fire Protection District- $23,738
Argenta-Oreana Fire Department- $26,000
Blue Mound Fire Protection District- $26,000

Macoupin:
Staunton Area Ambulance Service- $8,273.60
Medora Community Fire Protection District- $25,730.14

Madison:
Hartford Fire Department- $15,800
New Douglas Community Fire Protection District- $25,871.80
Prairie Fire Protection District- $22,500

Marion:
Odin Fire Protection District- $26,000

Marshall:
Wenona Fire Protection District- $23,936

Mason:
Bath Fire Protection District- $25,975
Easton Rural Fire Protection District- $23,830
Kilbourne Fire Protection District- $26,000

Massac:
Joppa Fire Department- $26,000

McDonough:
Emmet-Chalmers Fire Protection District- $26,000

McDonough/Schuyler:
Industry Fire Protection District- $11,418.52

McLean:
Bloomington Township Fire Protection District- $25,000
Ellsworth Fire Protection District- $16,710
Mt. Hope-Funks Grove Fire Protection District- $18,000
Randolph Township Fire Protection District- $19,205

Monroe:
Maeystown Rural Fire Protection District- $24,947.40

Montgomery:
Coffeen Fire Protection District- $24,700
Farmersville Waggoner Fire Protection District- $24,008
Witt Volunteer Fire Department- $25,612.30
Hillsboro Fire Department- $25,929.60

Morgan:
Chapin Area Rescue Squad- $15,975
Murrayville-Woodson EAS- $12,072.20
Woodson Fire Protection District- $26,000

Moultrie:
Bethany Fire Protection District- $26,000
Lovington Community Ambulance- $26,000

Ogle:
Forreston Fire Protection District- $22,643.08
Leaf River Fire Protection District- $21,300
Polo Fire Protection District- $14,371
Rochelle Fire Department- $22,000
Stillman Fire Protection District- $26,000

Piatt:
Cisco Fire Protection District- $24,640
North Piatt County Fire Protection District- $25,052.93

Pike:
Griggsville Fire Department- $24,000
Pleasant Hill-Spring Creek EMS- $20,614
Spring Creek Fire Protection District- $26,000

Pope:
Rural Pope County Fire Protection District- $25,266.50

Pulaski:
Mounds City Fire Department- $25,334
Mounds Volunteer Fire Department- $25,780.35

Randolph:
Coulterville Community Fire Protection District- $26,000
Percy Fire Department- $26,000
Red Bud Fire Department- $23,910
Tilden Fire Protection District- $25,237.04

Saline:
Village of Carrier Mills Fire Department- $25,960

Sangamon:
Buffalo Fire Protection District- $25,000
New Berlin-Island Grove Fire Protection District- $21,694
Pleasant Plains Fire Protection District- $26,000

Scott:
Winchester EMS- $13,200

Shelby:
Cowden Fire Protection District- $25,801

St. Clair:
Brooklyn Fire Protection District- $25,996.85
Caseyville Fire Department- $21,932.51
Church Road Fire Protection District- $24,935.85
Fairmont City Fire Protection District- $25,466
Midway Fire Protection District- $26,000

Stark:
Toulon Fire Protection District- $26,000

Tazewell:
Green Valley Fire Protection District- $20,000

Tazewell/Logan:
Armington Community Fire Protection District- $15,090

Union:
Cobden Fire Department- $24,524.30
Dongola Fire Department- $25,146

Vermilion:
Bismarck Community Fire Protection District- $17,000
Carroll Township Fire Protection District- $25,933.54

Wabash:
Bellmont Area Fire Protection District- $21,450

Warren:
Little York Volunteer Fire Protection District- $25,820
R.S.P. & E.F.P.D-Roseville Fire Protection District- $21,749.40

Warren/Mercer:
Alexis Fire Protection District- $25,765

Washington:
Ashley Community Fire Protection District- $16,000
Okawville Community Fire Protection District- $26,000

White:
City of Carmi- $25,764
Enfield Fire Protection District- $25,276.25
Whiteside:
Prophetstown Fire Protection District- $23,413.48

Will:
Mokena Fire Protection District- $20,336.37
Steger Estates Fire Protection District- $25,992

Williamson:
Pittsburg Volunteer Fire Department- $24,788

Williamson/Saline:
Stonefort Fire Department- $23,360

Winnebago:
Cherry Fire Protection District- $18,153
Winnebago County Fire Protection District #1- $26,000

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