State Grant Funding Available for Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Departments

Dallas – Senator Lisa Baker, chair of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, would like to remind volunteer fire and ambulance departments that state grant funding is available through the Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Services Program.

“These funds help our volunteer fire and ambulance departments improve and maintain the crucial services they provide in our communities,” said Baker.

Applications for the 2008-2009 funding cycle must be submitted to the Office of the State Fire Commissioner by 4:00 p.m. EST on October 17, 2008. Grant instructions, guidelines, and applications have been posted on the Office of the State Fire Commissioner’s web site at www.osfc.state.pa.us.

Since 2000, the General Assembly has regularly appropriated $25 million to PEMA to provide grants to Pennsylvania’s volunteer emergency service departments. This important program provides volunteer fire companies with grants of up to $15,000 and volunteer ambulance and rescue services with grants of up to $10,000 for construction and renovation of fire houses, the purchase or repair of equipment and debt reduction.