Ohio State Fire Marshal announces recipients of 2025 Equipment and Training Grants

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal has awarded approximately $2.52 million to fire departments across the state to better train and equip first responders and protect Ohio communities. The funds were awarded through SFM’s annual Equipment and Training Reimbursement grant programs for 2025. 

This year, 141 departments in 70 counties will split more than $2 million to address critical equipment needs through the Fire Department Equipment Grant. Grant funds can be used to purchase items such as personal protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus and communications equipment.

More than $1 million was collectively awarded to 70 volunteer and mostly volunteer fire departments, and the remaining $987,091 was awarded to 71 career, mostly career and part-time fire departments. Since 2020, the Division has awarded more than $10.6 million in Equipment Grants to Ohio fire departments.

Local recipients include:

• Higginsport Volunteer Fire & EMS (Brown County), $15,000;

• Liberty Township Fire Department (Ross County), $15,000;

• Wayne Twp. Volunteer Fire Department (Adams County), $15,000; And

• West Union Fire Department and Life Squad (Adams County), $14,882.20.

A detailed breakdown of departments receiving the 2025 Equipment Grant is available at https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/com.ohio.gov/SFM/FY2025_Equipm….

In addition, another $498,486 has been awarded to 207 departments in 77 counties through the Fire Department Training Reimbursement Grant program. The grant specifically benefits those departments that provide fire protection to an area with a population of 25,000 or fewer residents. These funds can be used to participate in training classes and cover the cost of training manuals and student workbooks. Since 2020, the Division has awarded more than $2.7 million in Training Grants to Ohio fire departments.

Local recipients include:

• Bainbridge Volunteer Fire Department (Ross County), $450;

• Camp Creek Twp. Volunteer Fire Department (Pike County), $3,800;

• Colerain Township Fire Department (Ross County), $700;

• Eastern Joint Fire and EMS District (Brown County), $1,975;

• Franklin Township Fire Department (Adams County), $1,975;

• Huntington Township Fire Department (Ross County), $1,100;

• Lynchburg Area Jt. Fire & Ambulance (Highland County), $2,600;

• Peebles Fire Department (Adams County), $1,600;

• Piketon Seal Township Fire Department (Pike County), $1,150;

• Waverly Fire Department (Pike County), $2,825; and

• Wayne Twp Volunteer Fire Department (Adams County), $450.

A detailed list of departments receiving the 2025 Training Grant is available at https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/com.ohio.gov/SFM/FY2025_Traini….

“These grants provide our brave men and women with the life-saving training and equipment they need to save lives of Ohioans,” State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said. “While these grants benefit and strengthen the state’s fire service, these funds are critically important to Ohio’s volunteer departments, which in many cases have very limited resources. We are proud to support the brave and selfless members of our fire service through the awarding of these grants.”

Additional details on these grants, as well as other grant funding awarded by the Division, are available on the Division’s interactive Grants Dashboard at com.ohio.gov/SFMdashboard.

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