HARRISBURG, PA — In recognition of the service and sacrifice of volunteer firefighters throughout Pennsylvania, the Wolf Administration announced $591,975 in new funding to help rural communities guard against the threat of wildfires in the state’s forests and other undeveloped areas.
“Weather can be friend or foe in our wildfire prevention and suppression efforts, but DCNR has no stronger ally — especially during these most difficult times of the pandemic — than the men and women of the volunteer fire companies serving rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common,” said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “These funds will benefit 109 volunteer fire companies throughout the state.
“To appreciate the value of well-equipped and highly trained wildfire fighters, one only has to look outside Pennsylvania to the horrific fires that sometimes plague other states.”
Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego praised volunteer fire companies’ service to communities close to home, as well as those members who often join Bureau of Forestry crews battling wildfires far beyond Pennsylvania’s borders.
“The dangers associated with wildfires continue to pose a growing threat to our state’s forests and rural communities,” Trego said. “Grant programs like these are vital tools for state government to ensure volunteer firefighters get the equipment and the training they need to perform their jobs as professionally and safely as possible.”
Both Trego and Dunn noted the readiness of volunteer fire companies is demonstrated every spring and summer when they answer assistance calls coming from other states, while also responding regularly to local woodland and brush fires. They noted the wildfire grants help enable smaller companies to concentrate more on public safety and training while easing their fiscal constraints.
In 2019, more than $617,800 was awarded to 133 volunteer fire companies. The grant program, offered through DCNR and paid through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has awarded more than $14.5 million since it began in 1982.
Recently approved grants include:
Adams
Cashtown Community Fire Department, Cashtown, $2,091
Liberty Fire Company Number 1, East Berlin $7,632
United Hook & Ladder Company 33, New Oxford, $10,000
Allegheny
Springdale Volunteer Fire Department, Springdale, $5,000
Armstrong
Gilpin Township Volunteer Fire Department, Leechburg, $5,270
Kiski Township Fire Department, Apollo, $10,000
Leechburg Volunteer Fire Company, Leechburg, $7,500
Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department, Adrian, $3,436
West Kittanning Fire Department, Kittanning, $2,823
Bedford
Hyndman Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Hyndman, $2,500
Shawnee Valley Volunteer Fire Company, Schellsburg, $10,000
Berks
Berks Emergency Strike Team, Reading, $2,085
Brecknock Township Fire Company Number 1, Mohnton, $3,000
Mt. Pleasant Fire Company, Bernville, $4,500
Oley Fire Company, Oley, $1,028
Shoemakersville Fire Company Number 1, Shoemakersville, $5,300
Blair
Geeseytown Community Fire Company, Hollidaysburg, $1,839
Williamsburg Volunteer Fire Company Number 1, Williamsburg, $5,000
Bucks
Delaware Valley Volunteer Fire Company, Erwinna, $3,225
Cambria
Ashville Volunteer Fire Company Number 1, Ashville, $1,550
Franklin Borough Volunteer Fire Company, Johnstown, $10,000
West Taylor Volunteer Fire Co, Johnstown, $2,800
Carbon
Albrightsville Volunteer Fire Company, Albrightsville, $5,000
Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company, Aquashicola ,$3,500
East Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company, Ashfield ,$10,000
Centre
Centre Hall Volunteer Fire Company, Centre Hall, $5,014
Hope Fire Number 2, Philipsburg $10,000
Millheim Fire Company Number 1, Millheim $4,000
Nittany Wildland Firefighters Inc., Bellefonte $8,941
Pine Glen Volunteer Fire Company, Karthaus $3,186
Chester
Avondale Fire Company, Avondale, $10,000
Clarion
Limestone Township Volunteer Fire Company, Clarion, $1,047
Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department, Fryburg, $7,500
Clearfield
Moshannon Forest Fire Fighters Association, Clearfield, $3,150
Ramey Fire Engine Company Number 1, Ramey, $2,029
Winburne Volunteer Fire Company, Winburne, $5,000
Columbia
Millville Community Fire Company, Millville, $10,000
Crawford
Greenwood Voluntefer Fire & Rescue, Conneaut Lake, $9,684
Spartansburg Volunteer Fire Department, Spartansburg, $10,000
Dauphin
Londonderry Fire Company Number 1, Middletown, $1,573
Delaware
Edgemont Township Fire Company Number 1, Gradyville, $4,092
Fayette
Belle Vernon Volunteer Fire Company Number 2, Belle Vernon, $2,070
Franklin
Fannett Metal Fire & Ambulance Company, Dry Run, $2,056
Huntingdon
Alexandria Volunteer Fire Company, Alexandria, $1,653
Trough Creek Valley Volunteer Fire Company, Cassville, $10,000
Indiana
Brush Valley Township Volunteer Fire Company, Brush Valley, $1,984
Cherryhill Township Volunteer Fire Company Inc , Penn Run, $7,961
Creekside Volunteer Fire Company, Creekside, $10,000
Marion Center Volunteer Fire Department, Marion Center, $689
Plumville District Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Plumville, $4,500
Saltsburg Volunteer Fire Department, Saltsburg, $8,353
Jefferson
Brockway Volunteer Hose Company, Brockway, $3,300
Ringgold Area Volunteer Fire Company, Ringgold, $10,000
Juniata
Fayette Fire Company Inc., McAllisterville, $3,914
Juniata Wildland Firefighters Inc., McAllisterville, $4,527
Lackawanna
Excelsior Hose Company Number 1, Olyphant, $1,326
Eynon Sturges Volunteer Hose Company Number 3, Eynon, $3,413
Lancaster
Garden Spot Fire Rescue, New Holland, $7,929
West Willow Fire Company, West Willow, $1,696
Lawrence
Hickory Township Volunteer Fire Company, New Castle, $8,000
New Wilmington Volunteer Firemen’s Association, New Wilmington, $7,738
Wurtemburg Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department, Ellwood City, $2,030
Lebanon
Mt. Zion Community Fire Company, Lebanon $3,000
South Lebanon Fire Company Number 1, Lebanon, $5,000
Lehigh
Lynnport Community Fire Company Number 1, New Tripoli, $6,352
Upper Milford Western District Fire Company, Old Zionsville, $5,855
Luzerne
Dennison Township Volunteer Fire Company Number 1, White Haven, $2,975
Hughestown Hose Company Number 1, Pittston, $7,500
Mocanaqua Volunteer Fire Company Number 1 Inc., Shickshinny, $4,216
Pond Hill Lily Lake Volunteer Fire Company, Wapwallopen, $775
Lycoming
Waterville Volunteer Fire Company, Waterville, $8,300
McKean
Kane Volunteer Fire Department, Kane, $970
Otto Township Volunteer Fire Department, Duke Center, $5,000
Mercer
Hempfield Township Volunteer Fire Department of Mercer County, Greenville, $10,000
Monroe
Pocono Summit Volunteer Fire Company, Pocono Summit, $10,000
Northampton
Bushkill Township Volunteer Firemen’s Relief Association, Nazareth, $10,000
Charotin Hose Company Number 1, Catasauqua, $10,000
Diamond Fire Company, Walnutport, $4,500
Lookout Fire Company Number 1 of Pen Argyl, Pen Argyle, $7,500
Plainfield Township Volunteer Fire Company, Wind Gap, $10,000
Upper Nazareth Fire Department, Nazareth, $3,177
Perry
Liverpool Volunteer Fire Company, Liverpool, $7,000
Volunteer Fire Company Number 1 New Buffalo, New Buffalo $10,000
Pike
Milford Fire Department Inc., Milford, $5,500
Westfall Township Volunteer Fire Department, Matamoras, $7,840
Schuylkill
Community Fire Company New Ringgold, New Ringgold, $10,000
Good Intent Hose Company Number 1, Llewellyn, $2,750
Liberty Fire Company, Schuylkill Haven, $3,735
North End Fire Company, Pine Grove, $5,874
Ryan Township Fire Company, Barnesville, $1,500
Weiser Wildland Firefighters Inc., Pine Grove, $10,000
Snyder
Fremont Fire Department, Mount Pleasant Mills, $2,675
Reliance Hose Company Number 1, Middleburg, $2,406
Somerset
Bakersville Volunteer Fire Company, Somerset, $5,000
Boswell Volunteer Fire Department, Boswell, $908
Sullivan
Laporte Borough Volunteer Fire Company, Laporte, $10,000
Susquehanna
Springville Volunteer Fire Company, Springville, $3,200
Tioga
Cedar Mountain Wildfire Crew Inc., Mansfield, $1,500
Union
Union County West End Fire Company, Millmont, $10,000
Venango
Cherrytree Township Volunteer Fire Department, Titusville, $9,650
Warren
Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Warren, $5,240
Washington
Amwell Township Volunteer Fire Department, Amity, $1,225
Fallowfield Township Volunteer Fire Company, Charleroi, $10,000
McDonald Volunteer Fire Department, McDonald, $4,500
Midway Volunteer Fire Dept Of Washington Company, Midway, $2,235
Roscoe Volunteer Fire Company Inc, Roscoe, $4,750
Wayne
White Mills Fire Department, White Mills, $10,000
Westmoreland
Scottdale Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Scottdale, $3,168
Wyoming
Meshoppen Volunteer Fire Company, Meshoppen, $2,765
Local firefighting forces in communities with fewer than 10,000 residents qualify for the aid, which is used for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires. Grants may be used for purchasing mobile or portable radios; installing water supply equipment; wildfire prevention and mitigation work; training wildfire fighters; or converting and maintaining federal excess vehicles.
The key objective is to better equip and train volunteers to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Grant recipients are selected based on vulnerability and adequacy of existing fire protection.
Aid is granted on a cost-share basis, with recipients supplying matching funds. Grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public and private nonprofit organizations in the agreement. The maximum grant awarded any fire company in 2019 was $10,000.
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