DEM
Announces Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Awards
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| DEM photo |
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM), in cooperation with the US
Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the RI Forest Fire Advisory
Committee, announces the award of 16 matching grants to rural volunteer fire
departments for wildland fire suppression training and equipment.
Totaling
almost $33,000, the grants range in amounts up to $2,500 and are being made
available through the federal Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grant program.
"DEM
is pleased to assist rural volunteer fire departments with funding to purchase
equipment to help fight wildland fires in their communities," said DEM
Director Janet Coit. "Rhode Island's forested lands provide important
wildlife habitat and enhance the character of local communities, and it's
important that we protect these valuable natural assets from wildfire
damage."
Administered
by DEM Division of Forest Environment, the VFA program aims to improve the
capacity and capability of fire departments in rural areas and rural
communities to prevent and suppress wildfires.
Local volunteer fire departments
eligible for the grants include single fire departments serving a rural area or
community with a population of 10,000 or less. Area fire departments and fire
districts that serve an aggregate population of greater than 10,000 also are
eligible for the grants if their service area includes a rural area or
community with a population of 10,000 or less.
- Burrillville: Harrisville, $2,000
- Exeter: Exeter #1, $1,640
- Foster: Foster Center, $1,255 Moosup Valley, $2,500 Potterville, $2,500 South Foster, $1,960
- Hopkinton: Hope Valley Wyoming, $2,500
- Lincoln: Lime Rock, $2,116 Saylesville, $1,339
- Scituate: Hope Jackson, $450
- Wakefield: Union, $2,250
- Westerly: Dunn's Corners, $2,500 Misquamicut, $2,500 Watch Hill, $2,290
- West Greenwich: Hianloland, $2,457 West Greenwich, $2,500
Grant
funds may be used for wild land personnel protective equipment, pumps, and
equipment used in wildland fire suppression; communication equipment; class A
foam used in wildland fire suppression; equipment for foam application; hand or
power tools used in wildland fire suppression; wildland Incident Command System
training; and dry hydrants.
The program requires a 50% local match that can
include cash, in-kind contributions, donations, and administrative costs
related to the project. Funds are provided on a reimbursement basis.
For
more information about the Forest Fire program, www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on
Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM for
timely updates.
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