Area fire departments receive grants administered by DNR

Two area fire departments are among more than 70 rural and volunteer fire departments from 47 Indiana counties awarded more than $320,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, DNR Director Dan Bortner has announced.

The Stilesville Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a $4,190 grant, while the Poland Fire Protection Territory was awarded $5,000.

The awards will be used for training, installation of dry hydrants or to purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wildland fires.

The grants are administered by the DNR Division of Forestry and made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Recipients were selected based on population density, acres of public wildlands protected and wildland fire reporting to DNR Fire Control Headquarters. As in past years, emphasis was given to projects that involved the fighting of wildfires.

The awarded grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 and were presented to 76 departments.