More than $206,000 in 50 percent cost-share grants have recently been awarded to 83 of Iowa’s rural fire departments to aid their efforts in protecting Iowan’s and their property from wildfires. The grants offer valuable funding assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications equipment.
The following fire departments will receive 2016 VFA Grants:
Allerton Fire Dept; Alta Fire Dept; Amana Benefitted Fire District; Anamosa Fire Dept; Anthon Fire Dept; Brighton Fire Dept; Calmar Fire Dept; Camanche Fire Dept; Cambridge Fire Dept; Chariton Fire Dept; Colesburg Fire Dept; Cresco Community Fire Dept; Creston Fire Dept; Cushing Fire Dept; Danbury Fire Fighters Association; Decorah Fire Dept; Drakesville Community Fire Dept; Durant Volunteer Fire Dept; Edgewood Fire Dept; Eldridge Volunteer Fire Co; Elk Horn Fire Dept; Elkader Fire Dept; Epworth Fire Dept; Everly Fire and Rescue; Fort Atkinson Fire Dept; Garrison Fire Dept; Greeley Fire Dept; Griswold Fire Dept; Guttenberg Fire Dept; Hampton Fire Dept; Harpers Ferry Volunteer Fire Dept; Haverhill Volunteer Fire Dept; Humeston Fire Dept; Janesville Fire Dept; Jefferson- Monroe Fire Dept; Kellogg Twsp Fire Dept; Lake Mills Fire Dept; Luana Volunteer Fire Dept; Malcom Fire Dept; Manchester Fire Dept; Manilla Volunteer Fire Dept; Manly Fire Dept; Mechanicsville Fire Dept; Melcher-Dallas Fire Dept; Millersburg Fire Dept; Modale Fire Dept; Montour Fire Dept; Moulton Fire Dept; New Hampton Fire Dept; New Virginia - Virginia Twsp Fire & Rescue; Nora Springs Fire Dept; North English Benefitted Fire Dist; Oakland Fire Dept; Pacific Junction Fire Dept; Parkersburg Fire Dept; Percival Fire Dept; Perry Fire Dept; Pleasantville Emergency Services; Polk City Fire Dept; Postville Fire Dept; Red Oak Volunteer Fire/Rescue Assoc; Riverton Volunteer Fire & Rescue; Rockwell City Fire; Shelby Fire & Rescue; Solon/Tri-Township Fire Dept; Stanley Fire Dept; Stratford Fire & Rescue; Strawberry Point Fire & Rescue; Stuart Fire Dept; Tama Fire Dept; Terril Fire Dept; Tripoli Fire Dept; Truro Fire Dept; Union Volunteer Fire Dept; Vinton Fire Dept; Wallingford Fire Dept; Wapello Co Rural Fire Dept; Wapello Fire Dept; Waterville Fire Dept; Waukon Area Fire Protection District; Webster City Fire Dept; West Union Volunteer Firefighters Inc; and Westgate Fire Dept.
The grants are made possible through the Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau, in cooperation with US Forest Service - State and Private Forestry.
Gail Kantak, fire supervisor with the DNR’s Forestry Bureau, reminds all fire departments of the importance of submitting Wildland Fire Reports whenever they respond to a wildland fire or provide assistance to a prescribed or controlled wildland fire. Wildland fire reporting forms are available at www.iowadnr.gov/fire.
Departments returning these reports receive priority points when the Volunteer Fire Assistance grant applications are scored. These wildland fire reports are compiled locally and nationally and are reported to Congress.