MARION COUNTY, Mo. — The Marion County R-2 Fire Department has been awarded funding through the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant, a matching funds program administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
The department spent $4,650 on six self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) tanks. Under the program’s 50/50 cost-sharing agreement, the Missouri Department of Conservation reimbursed the department $2,280.
This grant is part of a statewide initiative benefiting 133 fire departments across Missouri. In fiscal year 2025, the VFA program awarded $704,201.22 to help departments acquire personal protective equipment, communications tools, and wildland and structural fire suppression gear. Departments must match 50 percent of the funding to qualify.
Over the past three decades, more than $10 million has been distributed through the program to improve firefighter safety and firefighting capabilities in rural areas.
Ben Webster, fire program supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation, emphasized the program’s continued role in supporting local fire departments.
