Five fire departments receive state grants

Firefighters serving municipalities within Martin County will soon have new equipment to help them better battle blazes when sparks fly thanks to a recent grant awarded by State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor last week.

Each of the five county volunteer fire departments received awards in varying amounts depending on departmental requests. Each grant request was funded in total.

The departments receiving grants include Bear Grass Fire Rescue $19,005, Griffins Township Fire Department $10,775, Hamilton District Volunteer Fire-Ems Department $20,993.65, Jamesville Community Volunteer Fire Department $29,550 and Robersonville Fire Department $18,088.92.

The grants were distributed from the Volunteer Fire Department Fund. The fund was created to assist fire departments purchase equipment and make capital expenditures.

Yearly the awards are announced on May 15. The Volunteer Fire Department Fund is funded by taxes paid by North Carolina licensed insurance companies on property insurance from gross premiums.

“Fire and rescue organizations protect our communities large and small across North Carolina, but sometimes their budgets don’t grow with their responsibilities,” said Taylor. “Our emergency service personnel should be supported with the best equipment and supplies needed to do their jobs correctly and safely.”

Those grants will help, according to the chiefs.

“We are excited to announce that our department will be receiving a 50/50 grant from OSFM. These funds will be used to purchase four mobile radios, four sets of turnout gear, a battery powered positive pressure fan and five pagers,” said Roberson Fire Chief Jonathon Dail.

“I know the Robersonville Fire Department will use this money to serve their community even better,” Taylor said. “Thank you, Chief Dail, for all of your hard work and thanks to your dedicated staff.”

Jamesville Firefighters were equally excited about their $29,550 award.

“We are pleased to announce that we have once again been awarded a matching grant from NCOSFM through the Volunteer Fire Department Fund. These grant funds will be used to upgrade our extrication equipment, VIPER radios, purchase new ground ladders and some additional PPE for our members,” said Chief John Pierce. “This grant program will allow us to obtain nearly $60,000 of new equipment at a 50 percent cost to us.”

Taylor went on to thank Pierce and the Jamesville firefighters for all of their hard work.

Fire department match fund guidelines also vary between departments. Departments receiving less than or equal to $50,000 per year from municipal and/or county funding are not required to match the grant funding.

Departments receiving more than $50,000, but less than or equal to $75,000 per year, from municipal and/or county funding shall match $1 for each $3 of grant funds. Departments that receive more than $75,000 per year from municipal and/or county funding shall match the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis 50/50 match. The size of a grant may not exceed $40,000.