Staff report

COLUMBUS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal announced the recipients of the 2022 Fire Department Equipment Grants, which includes 113 fire departments in 52 counties throughout the state totaling $1,080,792.16.

“We’re proud to support Ohio’s fire service with life-saving equipment through these grant dollars,” DeWine said. “This funding is a huge benefit to the fire service, especially for our volunteers, allowing them to better protect the lives and property of the communities they serve.”

In Miami County, the Pleasant Hill-Newton Township Joint Fire District and the Laura Fire Company Inc. received personal protective equipment under a grant amount of $10,000 to each organization.

Allowable equipment within the grant includes protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus, communications, and other miscellaneous equipment. The fire departments were selected based on a variety of criteria, including the fire department’s annual budget, number of fire incidents, and the resident population served by the fire department. Eligible fire departments must serve a population of less than 25,000, be in compliance and have submitted incident fire reports for the designated year.

“These grants help ensure our smaller and rural fire districts are supported with new life-saving equipment,” said Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon. “This program supports Governor DeWine’s vision of strengthening the fire service by providing more resources for our volunteer fire departments.”

The State Fire Marshal Fire Department Equipment Grant application period opens each winter. For more information, visit the grants page at com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/state-fire-marshal/grants.