State Representative Charlie Meier shared the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s announcement that seven communities in the 109th District receiving Small Equipment Grant awards.
A total of $6 million was awarded to 260 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The Small Equipment Grant program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment.
“These grants are used to upgrade lifesaving firefighting and ambulance equipment so that our first responders may be best prepared to take on whatever obstacles they face,” Meier said. “These first responders, many of whom are volunteers, go to great lengths to keep us all sage. Grants like these are an important way to improve fire departments, especially those in rural areas of Southern Illinois, who oftentimes get overlooked.”
109th District communities receiving funding in the June 4 announcement include:
Clinton County:
Aviston Fire Protection District
Clin-Clair Fire District (Albers)
Sugar Creek Ambulance Service (Trenton)
Santa Fe Fire Protection District (Bartelso)
Madison County:
City of Highland
Olive Fire Protection District (Livingston)
Marine Community Fire Protection District
Village of Maryville
Hamel Fire Protection District
St. Jacob Township Fire Protection District
Troy Fire Protection District
St. Clair County:
New Athens Fire Protection District
Washington County:
Washington County Ambulance (Nashville)
Addieville Community Fire Protection District
Most Illinois fire departments, fire protection districts, township fire departments, and stand-alone, nonprofit ambulance service providers were eligible to apply if they fall under program requirements. This program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for departments and ambulance services. The purpose is to allow eligible applicants the opportunity to purchase small equipment they may not otherwise be able to purchase.