Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry Announces Funding for Rural Firefighters

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than $505,000 in grants were recently awarded to help Pennsylvania's rural communities guard against the threat of fires in forests and other undeveloped areas, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced today.

"A total of 130 volunteer fire companies, all serving rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common, will benefit from these funds," DCNR Acting Secretary Ellen Ferretti said. "One only has to look outside Pennsylvania earlier this summer to the horrific fires in Arizona and other states to appreciate the value of well-equipped and highly trained wildfire fighters."

Local firefighting forces in rural areas or communities with fewer than 10,000 residents qualified to apply for the aid. Last year, the grant program awarded $540,000 to 141 fire companies across the state.

"The readiness of these men and women 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," Ferretti said. "These grants allow firefighters from smaller companies to direct more funding toward public safety and training."

Grants and other assistance were provided through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry, with funding supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. The maximum grant awarded was $7,500.

The grants will be used to purchase wildfire-suppression equipment and protective clothing.

Grants also were awarded for mobile or portable radios, water supply installations, wildfire prevention and mitigation, wildfire fighting training, and to convert and maintain federal excess vehicles the bureau receives and uses for fire suppression.

Grant information can be obtained from the Bureau of Forestry's Division of Forest Fire Protection in Harrisburg. Call 717-787-2925 or visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us and click on "State Forests."

Media contact: Terry Brady, 717-772-9101

Editor's Note: Below is a listing of the awarded grants:

Allegheny: Frazer Township Volunteer Fire Department No.1, Tarentum, $7,500; Indiana Township Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, Pittsburgh, $7,500; Volunteer Hose Co. of East Deer Township, Creighton, $1,310;

Armstrong: Parks Township Volunteer Fire Department, Vandergrift, $7,500;

Beaver: Hanover Volunteer Fire Department, Hookstown, $2,500;

Berks: Friendship Fire Co. No. 1 of Geigertown, Geigertown, $4,500; Mt. Pleasant Fire Co. No. 1, Bernville, $7,500; Shoemakersville Fire Co. No. 1, Shoemakersville, $5,000; Topton Volunteer Fire Co., Topton, $7,500;

Blair: Claysburg Volunteer Fire Co., Claysburg; $1,750; Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Co., East Freedom, $3,500; Friendship Fire Co. No. 1 Inc., Roaring Spring, $3,000; Gallitzin Warden and Crew Association, Duncansville, $1,000; Martinsburg Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, Martinsburg, $5,662;

Bradford: Innes Hose Co., Canton, $5,000;

Bucks: Northern Bucks Wildland Fire Crew Inc., Quakertown, $6,000; Richlandtown Fire Co., Richlandtown, $7,500;

Butler: Adams Area Fire District, Mars, $5,000; Callery Volunteer Fire Co., Callery, $5,627; Chicora Community Hose & Relief, Chicora, $1,160;

Cambria: Community Volunteer Fire Co. of Lilly, $2,445; Cambria Hope Fire Co., Northern Cambria, $953;

Cameron: Emporium Fire Department Inc., Emporium, $5,000;

Carbon: Franklin Township Volunteer Fire, Lehighton, $7,500; Lehigh & Lausanne Rural Volunteer Fire Co., Weatherly, $2,000;

Centre: Centre Hall Volunteer Fire Co., Centre Hall, $3,500; Miles Township Fire Co., Rebersburg, $7,500;

Chester: Kimberton Fire Co., Kimberton, $1,250; Malvern Fire Co., Malvern, $750; West Bradford Fire Co., West Chester, $4,000;

Clarion: Callenburg Licking Township Volunteer Fire Co., Callensburg, $3,750; Hawthorn Area Fire Department, Hawthorn, $5,598;

Clearfield: Westover Area Volunteer Fire Co., Westover, $7,500;

Clinton: Citizens Hose Co. No. 5, Lock Haven, $2,000; Nippenose Valley Volunteer Fire Co., Jersey Shore, $3,750; Renovo Fire Department, Renovo, $3,600;

Columbia: Mifflin Township Forest Rangers & Fire Co., Mifflinville, $7,500; Montour Township Fire Co., Bloomsburg, $275;

Dauphin: Lower Swatara Volunteer Fire Department, Middletown, $2,826;

Fayette: Hiller Volunteer Fire Co., Hiller, $7,500;

Franklin: Fannett-Metal Fire and Ambulance Co. Inc., Dry Run, $943; Pleasant Hall Volunteer Fire Co., Pleasant Hall, $7,500;

Greene: Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department, Rices Landing; $5,500;

Indiana: Commodore Volunteer Fire Department, Commodore, $3,750; Marion Center Volunteer Fire Department, Marion Center, $5,000; Saltsburg Volunteer Fire Department, Saltsburg, $7,500;

Jefferson: Brockway Volunteer Hose Co., Brockway, $5,063; McCalmont Township Volunteer Fire, Anita, $5,400; Oliver Township Volunteer Fire Co., Coolspring, $4,750; Perry Township Volunteer Fire Co., Valier, $7,500; Reynoldsville Volunteer Fire Co., Reynoldsville, $4,358; Sykesville Volunteer Fire Co. Inc., Sykesville, $1,770;

Lackawanna: Covington Independent Fire Co., Covington Township, $1,970; Eagle McClure Hose Co. No. 1, Taylor, $2,500; Meredith Hose Co. No.1, Childs, $3,652;

Lancaster: Christiana Fire Co. No. 1 Inc., Christiana, $3,090; East Petersburg Fire Co. No. 1, East Petersburg, $4,500; Keystone Wildfire Crew Inc., Holtwood, $790; Refton Fire Co. No. 1, Refton, $4,052;

Lawrence: Hickory Township Volunteer Fire Co., New Castle, $7,500; Scott Township Volunteer, New Castle, $6,181; Wampum Volunteer Fire Department, Wampum, $7,500; Wurtemburg-Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department, Ellwood City, $1,537;

Lehigh: Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Co., Allentown, $1,500;

Luzerne: Dennison Township Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, White Haven, $7,500; Huntington Valley Volunteer Fire Co., Huntington Mills, $4,000; Lehman Township Volunteer Fire Co. Inc., Lehman, $7,500; Mocanaqua Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 Inc., Shickshinny, $927; Plymouth Township Fire and Rescue, Nanticoke, $3,726; Slocum Township Volunteer Fire Co., Wapwallopen, $5,250;

Lycoming: Black Forest Fire Co., Lock Haven, $7,500; Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Co., Montgomery, $1,850; Duboistown Fire Department, Williamsport, $3,248; Hughesville Fire Department, Hughesville, $3,000; Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Co., Muncy, $1,575; Waterville Volunteer Fire Co., Waterville, $3,700;

McKean: Lafayette Township Volunteer Fire Rescue Department Inc., Lewis Run, $1,500; Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department, Ludlow, $3,500; Otto Township Volunteer, Duke Center, $1,585;

Mercer: Hermitage Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Hermitage, $2,000; Pine Township Engine Co., Grove City, $792; Springfield Township Volunteer, Mercy, $1,011; Transfer Volunteer Fire Department, Transfer, $7,500;

Mifflin: Granville Fire Company, Granville, $5,500; Highland Park Hose Co., Lewistown, $750; Mifflin County Forest Fire Fighters, Lewistown, $3,750;

Monroe: Pocono Summit Volunteer Fire Co., Pocono Summit, $7,500; Tunkhannock Township Volunteer Fire Co., Long Pond, $7,500;

Montgomery: Upper Salford Volunteer Fire Co., Salfordville, $3,862;

Northampton: East Allen Township Volunteer Fire Department, Northampton, $4,975; Lehigh Township Volunteer Firemen's, Cherryville, $7,500; Williams Township Fire Co. No. 1, Easton, $7,500;

Northumberland: Lower Augusta Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Sunbury, $4,800; Trevorton Fire Co. No. 1, Trevorton, $450; Warrior Run Area Fire Department, Watsontown, $2,250;

Pike: Mill Rift Fire Department Inc., Millrift, $845;

Potter: Coudersport Volunteer Fire Co., Coudersport, $7,500; Genesee Township Volunteer Fire Department Inc., Genesee, $7,500; Kettle Creek Hose Co. No. 1, Cross Fork, $7,500; Roulette Chemical, Roulette, $1,175;

Schuylkill: Citizens Fire Co. No. 1, Ashland, $1,450; Good Intent Fire Co., New Philadelphia, $860; Joliett Fire Co., Joliett, $500; Port Clinton Fire Co., Port Clinton, $7,500; Rangers Hose Co., Girardville, $2,500; Ravine Fire Co. No.  1, Pine Grove, $3,320; Tremont Fire Co. No.1, Tremont,  $2,905;  West End Fire Co. No. 5, Saint Clair, $600; West Penn Fire Co., New Ringgold, $4,250;

Sullivan: Dushore Fire Co. No. 1, Dushore, $7,500;

Susquehanna: Springville Volunteer Fire Co., Springville, $3,986; Susquehanna Fire Department Inc., Susquehanna, $3,750;

Tioga: Blossburg Volunteer Fire Department, Blossburg, $1,285;

Union: Union County West Fire Co., Millmont, $800;

Venango: Clintonville Volunteer Fire Department, Clintonville, $3,310; Polk Fire-Rescue Inc., Polk, $3,985;

Warren: Russell Volunteer Fire Department, Russell, $3,000; Sheffield Township Volunteer Fire Department, Sheffield, $1,385;

Washington: Stockdale Volunteer Fire Department, Stockdale, $4,500;

Wayne: Hose Co. No. 1, Honesdale, $7,500; Volunteer Fire Co. of Beach Lake, Beach Lake, $7,500;

Westmoreland: New Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department, New Alexandria, $4,000;

Wyoming: F.W.M. Volunteer Fire Co., Mehoopany, $2,733;  Meshoppen Volunteer Fire Department, Meshoppen, $3,400; Triton Hose Co. No. 1, Tunkhannock, $5,925;

York: Airville Fire Co., Airville, $7,500; Community Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 of Yorkana, Yorkana, $1,298; Eagle Fire Co. No. 1, Mount Wolf, $1,055; Pleasant Hill Volunteer Fire Co., Hanover, $2,400.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources