Funding has been awarded for this year’s Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grants, and both Palmyra and Marion County R-II received grants.
A total of 161 fire departments will received reimbursements of up to $4,500 to assist with the purchase of personal protective equipment, communications equipment and wildland fire suppression equipment to help increase the fire departments’ capacity to suppress wildfires safely and efficiently.
The Palmyra Fire Protection District received $2,218.71, which was used to purchase four 1 1/2 inch forestry hose; two 1 inch forestry hose; two 10 foot suction hoses; one foot valve strainer; one hand primer; 24 leather gloves; and one wick 250 portable pump (high pressure).
Marion County R-II Fire Department received $4,000 which was used to purchase one slide-in skid unit.
The total funding awarded to Missouri fire departments through the matching funds grant program this year is $455,321.
Fire departments are required to match 50 percent of the funds which are provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Forest Service, Volunteer Fire Assistance Program.
Throughout the last 30 years, over $9 million has been distributed to rural fire departments to help them increase the safety of their firefighters and provide them with much needed wildland firefighting equipment.
