Volunteer Fire Departments receive grants

Fire departments in Belle Plaine, Luzerne, Malcom, Marengo, North English, Norway and Van Horne were among 138 rural departments to receive money from Volunteer Fire Assistance grants.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, awarded nearly $416,000 in 50% cost-share grants to protect Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.

Jason Walker, fire supervisor with DNR Forestry, said it’s important for fire departments to submit Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to wildland fires or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire.

Wildland fire reporting forms are available at iowadnr.gov/fire.

Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress, according to the DNR.