By Michele Ruxer
Messenger-Inquirer
UTICA, Ky. — The Masonville Fire Department has been awarded a $10,000 grant from State Farm through the insurance carrier’s Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program.
State Farm teamed up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to award $1 million in grant money to volunteer fire departments across the country.
“Masonville Fire Department is one of 100 volunteer fire departments across the country to receive funds from the grant,” said Chief Jeff Williams of the Masonville Volunteer Fire Department.
The grant money, according to the program description, will be used to help the fire departments “obtain the equipment they need to increase responder safety and improve service to the community.”
State Farm says that 500 applications were received in the program’s inaugural year which has led the insurance carrier to reintroduce the venture in 2025.
“I actually found out about the grant through my local State Farm agent,” Williams said.
The donations were announced right in time for Fire Prevention Week which runs this week — Oct. 6 to 12.
Daviess County Fiscal Court said that the Masonville Fire Department covers a large area of southeastern Daviess County as well as a portion of Ohio County, approximately 75 square miles of coverage area, leading to around 700 yearly service calls for the small volunteer fire department.
“Our firefighters work hard to protect our community by helping their neighbors on their worst days. It is critical that we are able to provide these dedicated volunteers with the tools and resources they need to do their job safely and effectively,” said Williams. “Thanks to this grant from State Farm and the National Volunteer Fire Council, we will be better equipped and prepared to respond to service calls.”
Williams said that most fire-fighting equipment is required to be replaced every 10 years due to equipment becoming out-of-date or worn out.
“And those costs can really add up, especially for volunteer fire departments like ours with such tight budgets,” Williams said.
He estimates that with the help of the grant, he’ll be able to purchase enough new equipment, including coats, pants, gloves, boots and helmets, to outfit 10 to 12 firefighters.
“I hope to get new equipment ordered around the beginning of December so that we can have it to start 2025,” Williams explained.
In addition to the monetary grant, State Farm also supplied all of the grant applicants with a membership to the NVFC.
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