Three area departments receive grants from Illinois state fire marshal program

SPRINGFIELD – The Forreston, Stillman and Lee fire protection districts are among 165 agencies receiving funds to help purchase equipment through the 2024 Small Equipment Grant Program, operated by the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal.

The three departments each will receive grants worth up to $26,000 to buy small firefighting and ambulance equipment.

“This program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for fire departments and not-for-profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have hardships in generating the necessary revenue for small equipment,” according to a news release from the OSFM.

The purpose is to allow eligible applicants the opportunity to buy small equipment that they may otherwise not be able to afford. The OSFM received 417 applications, requesting about $9.5 million in funding for this grant period, according to the release.

“We continue to see and hear about the need and understand the issues fire departments face when it comes to funding across the state,” Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera said. “I am proud this year we were able to increase our grant funding to $4 million, a $2.5 million increase from last year, which has allowed us to award over 100 more departments money to purchase lifesaving tools they might not have been able to afford otherwise.”

Most Illinois fire departments, fire protections districts, township fire departments and stand-alone, nonprofit ambulance service providers were eligible to apply. All fire departments, fire protections districts and township fire department applicants were required to have participated in the National Fire Incident Reporting System for a minimum of two years before applying.

The Forreston and Stillman fire protection districts each were awarded $26,000 in Ogle County. The Sublette Fire Protection District in Lee County was awarded $25,200.

Other area agencies receiving awards were:

• Bureau County: Cherry Fire Protection District , $26,000, and Bureau Fire Protection District, $20,277
• Jo Daviess County: Menominee-Dunleith Fire Department, $25,455.06, and city of East Dubuque Fire Department, $22,556
• Stephenson County: Orangeville Fire Protection District, $26,000, Freeport Fire Department, $25,000, and Cedarville Fire Protection District, $26,000