DNR Director Cameron Clark announced Thursday that 60 rural and volunteer fire departments from 36 Indiana counties have been awarded more than $250,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants.
And one volunteer fire department in Washington County will benefit — Gibson Twp-Little York VFC who will receive $3,977 for Wildland firefighting.
Grants can be used for training, installation of dry hydrants, or to purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wildland fires.
Firefighting efforts in wildland areas require different techniques, equipment, and training from the more familiar structure fire fighting found in populated areas.
Working in conjunction with specially designed aerial firefighting aircraft, these wildfire-trained crews suppress flames, construct firelines, and extinguish flames and areas of heat to protect resources and natural wilderness. Wildland fire suppression also addresses the issues of the wildland-urban interface, where populated areas border with wild land areas.
Other local fire departments include Marion Township, Beech Creek Township in Greene County, Owen Salt Creek and Pershing Townships in Jackson County, Shoals VFD in Martin County and Benton, Bloomington and Van Buren Townships and Ellettsville Fire Department in Monroe County.
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.
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
