Press Releases
09/08/2025
DEEP Announces Recipients of Annual Volunteer Fire Capacity Grant
Grant Supports 38 Local Fire Departments
(HARTFORD) — Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that thirty-eight local volunteer fire departments are receiving a Volunteer Fire Capacity Grant (VFC Grant), which will improve firefighting capabilities by supporting training and equipment purchases. These funds are provided through a federal program that supports fire departments in towns with a population of less than 10,000 people.
Since 2001, Congress has authorized VFC funds annually under the Farm Bill. Funding passes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to the DEEP Forestry Division, which then awards grants of up to $2,500 to volunteer firefighter projects statewide. A small portion of VFC funds support special training projects in cooperation with the Connecticut Fire Academy in Windsor Locks.
“We are grateful to administer a program that provides a critical supplement to local municipal firefighting budgets,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “Ensuring fire preparedness is becoming increasingly important as our state experiences heightened wildfire risk resulting from more frequent extreme weather events like droughts.”
In the past 12 years, the DEEP Forestry Division has awarded over $865,000 in VFA/VFC grants to Connecticut fire departments. Fire department applications are scored based on the number of calls the department responded to during the previous year, the Town’s insurance rating and whether there is a plan in place to improve their insurance rating, the percentage of the fire department’s budget that is paid for by town taxes, and the department’s recent history of receiving VFA grants.
The following is a list of the most recent fire department VFC grant recipients. Information about VFC grants and the application process can be found on DEEP’s website.
Volunteer Fire Capacity Grants - Funded Fire Departments
|
|
Fire Department |
Grant Award |
Community |
|
1 |
Barkhamsted East Volunteer Fire Co. No 1, INC. |
$2,500.00 |
Barkhamsted |
|
2 |
Beacon Hose Company No 1. Town of Beacon Falls |
$2,294.57 |
Beacon Falls |
|
3 |
Bungay Fire Brigade |
$2,451.00 |
Woodstock |
|
4 |
Canaan Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
North Canaan |
|
5 |
Canterbury Volunteer Fire Co. Inc. |
$2,479.01 |
Canterbury |
|
6 |
Colebrook Center Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Colebrook |
|
7 |
Colebrook Forge Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Colebrook |
|
8 |
Community Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
North Grosvenordale |
|
9 |
Deep River Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Deep River |
|
10 |
Durham Volunteer Fire Co. |
$2,107.95 |
Durham |
|
11 |
East Granby Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
East Granby |
|
12 |
East Litchfield Volunteer Fire Co. |
$1,705.00 |
Litchfield |
|
13 |
Eastford Independent Fire Co. 1# Inc. |
$2,427.97 |
Eastford |
|
14 |
Haddam Volunteer Fire Co. |
$1,942.53 |
Higganum |
|
15 |
Hampton Volunteer Fire Co. |
$2,133.00 |
Hampton |
|
16 |
Harwinton West Side Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,499.00 |
Harwinton |
|
17 |
Hebron Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Hebron |
|
18 |
Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department Inc. |
$2,500.00 |
Lebanon |
|
19 |
Lisbon Fire Department Inc. |
$2,324.52 |
Lisbon |
|
20 |
Marlborough Volunteer Fire Company |
$2,500.00 |
Marlborough |
|
21 |
Middlefield Volunteer Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Middlefield |
|
22 |
Muddy Brook Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
East Woodstock |
|
23 |
Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department Inc. |
$2,484.50 |
Norfolk |
|
24 |
Old Lyme Fire Department |
$2,475.41 |
Old Lyme |
|
25 |
Oneco Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Oneco |
|
26 |
Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Barkhamsted |
|
27 |
Pomfret Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,408.50 |
Pomfret Center |
|
28 |
Putnam Fire Department |
$2,472.64 |
Putnam |
|
29 |
Salem Volunteer Fire Company Inc. |
$2,500.00 |
Salem |
|
30 |
Scotland Volunteer Fire Department Inc. |
$2,500.00 |
Scotland |
|
31 |
Sherman Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Sherman |
|
32 |
Sterling Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Sterling |
|
33 |
Thomaston Volunteer Fire Department |
$2,500.00 |
Thomaston |
|
34 |
Thompson Fire Engine Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Thompson |
|
35 |
Union Volunteer Fire Department Inc. |
$2,500.00 |
Union |
|
36 |
Warren Volunteer Fire Co. |
$2,500.00 |
Warren |
|
37 |
West Thompson Independent Fire Co. #1 |
$2,500.00 |
Thompson |
|
38 |
Woodstock Volunteer Fire Association |
$2,500.00 |
Woodstock |
|
|
Total |
$92,205.60 |
|
As we approach the fall fire season (typically October through when snow starts to fall), it’s important to be aware of the daily fire danger and steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of a fire. Go to the DEEP website for more information about how to stay informed: Forest Fire Weather Information and Danger Explanations.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110