The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry recently approved grant funding for 55 projects totaling $382,855 for fire departments in rural areas of Ohio through the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant program.
“The services that local fire departments provide are essential to the safety and well-being of families and properties in the communities they protect,” said Dan Balser, Chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry. “In addition to wildland fire fighter training, we are pleased to be able to provide funding for the acquisition of upgraded equipment to our frontline partners in wildfire prevention and suppression.” VFA Grant projects are focused on supporting rural fire departments and helping them continue to deliver safety services to their communities. VFA grants are open to fire departments that serve communities with populations of less than 10,000 people within the ODNR Forestry wildfire protection area.