The Beloit Fire Department says it will receive increased grant funding this year to support training and equipment upgrades following a state allocation of federal pandemic aid to support first responders across Wisconsin. In his State of the State address, Democratic Governor Tony Evers announced a plan that would allocate a portion from $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding towards the state’s Funding Assistance Program (FAP) that provides annual grants to all public ambulance service providers. Of the $20 million, $8 million will boost funding in the statewide FAP with the remaining $12 million to provide one-time grants for EMS providers that do not qualify for the statewide program.