Four volunteer fire departments in rural Maine have each been awarded $10,000 grants to purchase equipment that will improve safety for firefighters and the communities they serve.
They are among 150 volunteer fire departments nationwide that received grants worth a total of $1.5 million via the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program in collaboration with the Washington, D.C.-based National Volunteer Fire Council.
Maine recipients include fire departments in the Washington County town of Charlotte; Frye Island on Sebago Lake; Mariaville, in Hancock County; and Norridgewock, in Somerset County.
Since the program began in 2024, some $4 million has been distributed to support volunteer fire departments with their equipment needs.
“Volunteer firefighters are there for their communities no matter what the emergency, from structure and wildland fires to vehicle crashes and medical emergencies to natural disasters and hazardous materials incidents,” said Steve Hirsch, chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council.
“Yet many local departments lack the funding to purchase the resources and gear they need, forcing them to rely on outdated or insufficient equipment,” he added. “We thank State Farm for taking action to address this need by helping local departments secure critical equipment so they can do their jobs more safely and effectively.”
Tuesday’s grant announcement coincided with Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day. Grants will be used to purchase a wide variety of department necessities, including personal protective equipment, EMS and rescue tools and communication devices.
In addition to the 150 grants, State Farm provided complimentary memberships in the National Volunteer Fire Council to the first 2,000 eligible applicants.
The organization is the leading national nonprofit association serving the volunteer fire, emergency medical and rescue services.
