(HARTFORD) — The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that forty-six local volunteer fire departments are receiving 2023 Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grants which will be used to train personnel and purchase equipment aimed at improving their firefighting capabilities. These funds are provided through a federal program to support fire departments in towns with a population of less than 10,000 people.

These grants play a key role in increasing Connecticut’s wildfire preparedness, which is important in a changing climate. DEEP also trains and leads the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew, which provides international fire response and ensures Connecticut has a well-trained crew who is prepared to address in-state fire threats that may occur.

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said, “This grant program provides such a critical service to the brave men and women in small volunteer fire departments around the state. Public safety is increasingly threatened by local effects of climate change like intense droughts that increase wildfire risk, so we’re pleased to be able to administer this program, match local contributions, and double the benefits to these rural communities.”

Since 2001, Congress has annually authorized Volunteer Fire Assistance funds under the Farm Bill. Funding passes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to state forestry offices who award the grants to volunteer firefighter projects statewide. Most of Connecticut’s funds are directed toward small grants that do not exceed $2,500. A small portion of the funds are targeted toward special training projects in cooperation with the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks.

All projects must be completed by August 28^th, 2024. The funding is a matching 50% reimbursable grant. After the fire department spends the funds, they will be reimbursed up to 50%, not to exceed $2,500.

In the past 10 years, DEEP’s Division of Forestry has awarded more than $770,000 dollars in VFA funds to eligible fire departments.

“These grants really help out a rural fire department like ours, and we apply for it every year,” said Alan Olenick, Assistant Fire Chief of the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department, who earlier this summer returned from a Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew mobilization in Montana. “We solicit grant ideas from our membership and have used these awards over the years to acquire forestry firefighting tools, hose, and even training for our members.”

“We’re a small department in a small town, and we use these grants for critical equipment that we use for years,” said Michael Gurnack, the Deputy Chief of the Scotland Volunteer Fire Department. “We’re acquiring battery-operated chainsaws, hydrant valves, and flashlights this year, and these grants enable us to purchase equipment we wouldn’t normally be able to afford.”

Fire department applications are scored using the following criteria:

• Number of calls the department responded to during the previous year;
• Town’s Insurance Rating, whether there is a plan in place to reduce (improve) their insurance rating;
• Percentage of the fire department budget that is paid for by town taxes; and
• Recent history of receiving VFA grants.

The following is a list of the fire department recipients for 2023.