Fire Department Grants are Hard to Come by

WINSTON COUNTY & ACKERMAN, Miss. (WCBI)- This time of year is a busy one for rural firefighters; it’s fire season and grant season.

But after years of applying some have yet to see any aid.

It’s often said, “It takes money not water to fight fires”, but that money is often hard to find.

Volunteer Fire Departments are usually fighting limited budgets as well as fires. That means they sometimes have to look harder to find much-needed money. Grants go a long way in filling the gaps.

“They’re critical. The equipment that you have to purchase to fight fires, It’s life-saving equipment. Therefore, it’s very expensive. We can only sell so many catfish plates. It’s hard to raise the money,” said Ken Paine.

While departments continue to apply for federal grants for these small stations, the money seems to be going to other places.

“Right now there is an AFG fire going out that are open for rural fire departments those grants are hard to obtain, only because rural fire departments don’t have enough call volume to really get that funding,” said Jody Garrard.

“We try to apply every year for the Assistance to firefighters grant and so far we are 0 for the last five that I know of,” said Paine.

This gear was bought the last time Winston County received the AFG grant.

That was in 2005.

13 years later it’s near the end of its life expectancy, but replacing it is going to be hard.

“If we could obtain an AFG grant, we need firefighter turnout gear, we need Air packs. Those things expire after so many years, and they are very costly,” said Garrard.

It’s all about supply and demand. And the competition is fierce.

“Well, the grant funds are limited, and there are literally thousands of small fire departments applying. You know the grantor is doing as good a job as they can do I believe to try to assess the actual need,” said Paine.

While federal aid is harder to get, there are some programs a little closer to home.

“Right now our biggest help comes from the Mississippi Forestry Commission. They have a program that goes on that helps these real fire departments obtain used fire trucks that are still in good shape that comes from the Air Force or military. We bring these trucks back, get them outfitted to fight wildland fires, and that is a huge asset,” said Garrard.

Applications for the AFG grant close next week.