Local ambulance and fire companies draw state funding

From staff reports

CLARION – Thirteen volunteer fire departments and one area ambulance association in Clarion County will receive state grants totaling $244,710 to help with training, equipment and other operational costs, Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-63) recently announced.

“For more than a decade, this state program has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to fire and ambulance companies throughout our region so they can continue to serve our communities,” Oberlander said. “This much-needed funding helps to take away some of their fundraising burden so they can spend more time serving our communities.

“We thank all of our first responders for being available to us at a moment’s notice, and we want them to be around for us in the future.”

All funding comes from the proceeds from slot machine gaming, and not general fund tax revenue.

Projects eligible for funding include construction or renovation of a fire or ambulance company facility, purchase or repair of equipment, training, or reduction of existing debt.

The program is administered by the Office of the State Fire Commissioner.

The following is a list of local fire and ambulance companies and the amount of their grant awards:

  • Callensburg-Licking Township Volunteer Fire Company — $11,967.
  • Clarion Fire and Hose Company No. 1 — $11,511.
  • East Brady Volunteer Fire Department $12,422.
  • Hawthorn Area Volunteer Fire Department — $11,511.
  • Knox Area Volunteer Ambulance Company — $12,650.
  • Knox Volunteer Fire Company — $7,201
  • Limestone Township Volunteer Fire Company — $11,511.
  • Millcreek Township Volunteer Fire Department — $11,511.
  • New Bethlehem Fire Company No. 1 — $11,967.
  • Rimersburg Hose Company — $11,511.
  • St. Petersburg Volunteer Fire Company — $11,511.
  • Strattanville Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 — $11,511.