Local fire departments awarded Small County Volunteer Fire Department Grant
COLUMBUS –State Representative Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) is pleased to announce that fire departments across Fayette, Highland and Pike counties have been awarded more than $399,058.54 through the newly created Small County Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) Grant Program, established in the state budget championed by House Republicans.
Funding will be used by small, volunteer fire departments to purchase essential equipment, upgrade facilities, and enhance access to firefighting training. The breakdown per department is as follows:
• BPM Joint Fire District - $46,966.00
• Concord - Greene Townships Volunteer Fire Department - $50,000.00
• Highland County North Joint Fire and Ambulance District - $49,803.12
• Lynchburg Area Joint Fire and Ambulance District - $38,456.00
• Benton Township Fire Department - $48,761.27
• Camp Creek Volunteer Fire Department - $50,000.00
• Pebble Twp. Vol. Fire Dept. - $50,000.00
• Piketon Seal Township Volunteer Fire Department - $15,342.15
• Waverly Fire Department - $49,730.
“I am so proud of our local fire departments that valiantly serve their communities, especially the volunteer departments. I am glad that these grants will assist them in their community service,” said Peterson.
Overall, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal awarded a total of $7,997,960 to 190 departments across 49 Ohio counties.
According to the 2023 governor’s Volunteer Fire Service Task Force report, approximately 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers, but there continues to be a steady decrease in volunteer firefighters. From 2018 to 2021, there was a 6.5% decrease in volunteer firefighters, but a 9% increase in calls from 2018 to 2020.