Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) June 17 announced the recipients of the 2021 Small Equipment Grant Program.

A total of $3.3 million was awarded to 149 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The OSFM received 448 applications, requesting around $10.5 million in funding for this grant period.

“First responders put their lives on the line every single day to do the critical work of protecting Illinois’ communities. I am pleased to award $3.3 million in small equipment grants to 149 fire departments and EMS providers throughout the state, providing critical funding that will enable the purchase of new firefighting and ambulance equipment,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “On behalf of all Illinois residents, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to first responders for the work they do and their ongoing efforts to maintain the safety of our families and communities.”

The Small Equipment Grant Program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. This program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for the fire departments and not-for profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have hardships in generating the necessary revenue for small equipment.

The purpose is to allow eligible applicants the opportunity to purchase small equipment that they may otherwise not be able to purchase.

“Departments have had to make tough financial decisions, especially this year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring our first responders in Illinois have properly functioning lifesaving equipment they need to perform their duties safely, while protection their communities, is our top priority. The Small Equipment Grant Program helps reduce the burden on smaller departments/districts while replacing aging and sometimes failing small equipment,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez.

Rock Falls Fire Department Captain Kyle Sommers added, “Over the past several years, our hand-held radios have been consistently failing on the fireground, where they are most needed.  This was putting our firefighters in great danger, since it was likely that they would not be able to communicate using these radios in an emergency situation.  With the high cost to replace the defective equipment, coupled with operating on a tight budget, it was uncertain when (or if) they would be replaced.

“Now that we have been awarded the Small Equipment Grant from the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, our radios will be replaced with new radios that meet the NFPA standards for functioning during fireground operations. This will have a tremendous impact on our department, both directly through the purchase of new radios, and by allowing department funds to be used on other necessary safety and life-saving equipment.”

“This grant award means a great deal to our department as we are a smaller district with a smaller budget,” said South Wheatland Fire Protection District Chief Thomas Williams.

“It is imperative that we actively seek grants for equipment purchases and replacements due to skyrocketing cost of fire equipment and related insurance costs. Building, grounds and apparatus upkeep are so very expensive and often our fire districts tax supported budget alone cannot support some of our needs which are necessary to protecting the citizens in our area,” he added.

The Peoria Heights Fire Department will be receiving $25,660 from the Small Equipment Grant Program this year. (Photo courtesy of Peoria Heights Fire Dept.)

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 (NFIRS) for a minimum of two years prior to applying.

Grant recipients and awards are listed below:

Adams:
Clayton Fire Protection District- $25,962
Liberty Fire Protection District- $25,885

Alexander:
Horseshoe Lake Volunteer Fire Department- $26,000
McClure-East Cape Girardeau Fire Protection District- $23,757.50

Bond:
Shoal Creek Fire Protection District- $25,909

Brown:
Brown County Fire Protection District- $26,000
Mount Sterling Fire Department- $26,000

Bureau:
Mineral-Gold Fire Protection District- $24,627
Neoponset Fire Protection District- $21,760
Spring Valley Fire Department- $19,950

Carroll:
Thomson Fire Protection District- $23,783.90

Cass:
Virginia Volunteer Fire Department- $10,948.30

Champaign:
Carroll Fire Protection District- $16,376.76
Gifford Fire Protection District- $9,350
Savoy Fire Department- $10,982
Tolono Fire Protection District- $18,226

Christian:
Morrisonville-Palmer Fire Protection District- $23,698.75

Clark:
Martinsville Fire Protection District- $26,000

Clay:
Xenia Fire Protection District- $20,175.20

Cook:
City of Country Club Hills Fire Department- $4,125
Ford Heights Fire Department- $25,982
Garden Homes Fire Protection District- $23,450
Midlothian Fire Department- $26,000
North Riverside Fire Department- $25,732
Park Forest Fire Department- $22,725
South Chicago Heights Fire Department- $26,000

Dekalb:
Sycamore Fire Department- $13,363.98

DeWitt:
Kenny Fire Protection District- $25,112
Wapella Community Fire Protection District- $26,000

Douglas:
Tuscola Fire Department- $24,412.50

Fayette:
Brownstown Fire Protection District- $15,700

Franklin:
Coello Volunteer Fire Department- $26,000

Fulton:
Cass-Putnam Rescue Service- $25,839
Copperas Creek Fire Protection District- $17,000

Gallatin:
Equality Fire Department- $26,000

Greene:
Roodhouse Fire Protection District- $22,831
White Hall Fire Protection District- $24,500

Grundy:
Gardner Fire Protection District- $17,480
Verona-Kinsman Fire Department- $10,477.60

Grundy/LaSalle:
Seneca Fire Protection and Ambulance District- $2,500

Hamilton:
McLeansboro Fire Department- $25,031.92

Hancock:
Nauvoo Fire Protection District- $26,000

Hardin:
Rosiclare Fire Department- $25,151.18

Henderson:
Biggsville Fire Protection District- $21,225

Iroquois:
Buckley Fire Protection District- $26,000
Danforth Township Fire Protection District- $22,610

Jackson:
Carbondale Fire Department- $6,771.41
Murphysboro Fire Department- $8,388
Vergennes Fire Department- $25,990

Jefferson:
Jefferson Fire Protection District- $25,638

Jersey:
Jerseyville Fire Department- $25,698

Jo Davies:
Apple River Fire Protection District- $26,000
East Dubuque Fire Department- $23,934

Johnson:
Cypress Volunteer Fire Department- $25,868

Kane:
Burlington Community Fire Protection District- $26,000
Montgomery & Countryside Fire Protection District- $6,565

Kankakee:
Bradley Fire Department- $25,825
Grant Park Fire Protection District- $24,520
Limestone Township Fire Protection District- $26,000

Kendall:
Newark Fire Protection District- $26,000

Knox:
Williamsfield Fire Protection District- $26,000

Lake:
Village of Libertyville- $25,974
Winthrop Harbor Fire Department- $12,924

LaSalle:
Oglesby Fire Department- $21,995
Sheridan Community Fire Protection District- $26,000
Tonica Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.- $25,528

Livingston:
Dwight Fire Protection District- $21,885
Fairbury Fire Department- $26,000
Odell Fire Protection District- $25,720

Logan:
Emden Fire Protection District- $15,520
Middletown Fire Protection District- $25,729.45

Macon:
Hickory Point Fire Protection District- $21,837.95
Mt. Zion Fire Protection District- $25,670
South Wheatland Fire Protection District- $23,165.18

Macoupin:
Brighton Betsy Ann Fire Protection District- $24,144.89
Bunker Hill Fire Protection District- $12,750.95
Girard Fire Protection District- $25,256

The Small Equipment Grant Program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. (Photo courtesy of the River Forest Fire Dept.)

Madison:
Alhambra Community Fire Protection District- $25,103
Collinsville Fire Department- $20,000
Cottage Hills Fire Protection District- $26,000
Edwardsville Fire Department- $9,554
Olive Fire Protection District- $11,836
Saint Jacob Fire Department- $22,600
South Roxana Fire Protection District- $26,000
Village of East Alton Fire Department- $25,367.25
Worden Fire Protection District- $26,000

Marion:
Kell Community Fire Protection District- $25,752.18
Salem Fire Protection District- $14,580

Marshall:
Lacon-Sparland Fire Protection District- $25,820

Mason:
Havana Rural Fire Protection District- $10,460
Mason City Fire Department- $25,811.80

Massac:
Brookport Fire Department- $26,000

McHenry:
Marengo Fire Protection District- $26,000

McLean:
Allin Township Fire Protection District- $8,865
Bellflower Fire Protection District- $5,741

Mercer/Rock Island:
Reynolds Fire Protection District- $25,974

Monroe:
Hecker Fire Protection District- $21,178.80
Valmeyer Fire Protection District- $21,770

Montgomery:
Fillmore Community Fire Protection District- $26,000
Nokomis Area Fire Protection District- $16,773

Morgan:
South Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Department- $20,636

Moultrie:
Dora Township Fire Protection District- $24,830
Sullivan Fire Protection District- $26,000

Ogle:
Oregon Fire Protection District- $24,500

Peoria:
Akron-Princeville Fire Protection District- $25,751.02
Elmwood Fire Department Inc.- $26,000
Peoria Heights Fire Department- $25,660

Perry:
DuQuoin Fire Department- $25,300
Pinckneyville Fire Protection District- $26,000

Piatt:
Cerro Gordo Fire and Rescue- $25,000
Monticello Fire & Rescue Department- $22,398

Pike:
Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District- $16,622

Pulaski:
Olmsted Fire Department- $25,795.47

Putnam:
Magnolia Fire Protection District- $25,640

Randolph:
Sparta Fire Department- $26,000
Steeleville Fire Department- $21,000.88

Richland:
City of Olney Fire Department- $25,618.44

Sangamon:
Divernon Fire Protection District- $22,500
Williamsville Fire Protection District- $25,900

Schuyler:
City of Rushville- $17,538.40

St. Clair:
Cahokia Volunteer Fire Department- $19,095
French Village Fire Department- $20,282.28
The East St. Louis Fire Department- $26,000

Stephenson:
Freeport Fire Department- $12,950
Orangeville Fire Protection District- $20,260
Rock City Fire Protection District- $23,745

Tazewell:
Cincinnati Fire Protection District- $24,774.76
North Pekin Fire Department- $21,741
Schaeferville Fire Protection District- $24,130.30

Union:
Ware-Wolf Lake Protection District- $25,972

Vermilion:
Westville AFPD- $26,000

Wabash:
Allendale Rural Fire Protection District- $25,651.44

Warren:
Central Warren Fire Protection District- $24,823.80
Monmouth Fire Department- $25,348

Washington:
Addieville Community Fire Protection District- $25,723.92

Wayne:
Bedford Township Fire Protection District- $25,990
Fairfield Fire Department- $24,134

Whiteside:
Rock Falls Fire Department- $26,000

Will:
Beecher Fire Protection District- $26,000
Northwest Homer Fire Protection District- $25,650

Williamson:
Energy Fire Department- $22,700
Hurst Fire Department- $25,550.80
Lake Egypt Fire Protection District- $25,979
Williamson County Fire Protection District- $26,000

Winnebago:
Blackhawk Fire Protection District- $26,000
New Milford Fire Protection District- $26,000
Win Bur Sew Fire Protection District- $22,008

Woodford:
Deer Creek Fire Protection District- $26,000
Secor Fire Protection District- $16,640