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MARYVILLE

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News Brief

Dec. 5, 2019 |  By: Jeremy Werner

New grant opportunity available for fire departments

Volunteer fire departments in rural Missouri have the opportunity to get some help.

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The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety have teamed up for a new grant opportunity.

Ben Webster, a Fire Program Supervisor with the Department of Conservation, says they are encouraging fire departments that don't have coverage to apply for the grant, and for those that do have it, to continue carrying the coverage. However, Webster says only 125 fire departments will be able to receive funding.

"The funding is going to be given out as a first come first serve because there is some requirements that the fire departments have to meet.  And they know who they are."

Webster says some of these volunteers do more than put out fires.

"They're running car wrecks.  They're running various medical calls.  And some of them are running these calls without any type of coverage for their active members."

Webster says there is also the hope that this lures more volunteers.

"Fire fighter recruitment in the state is tough right now because a lot of them are volunteer and people's time is pretty valuable now.  A lot of them just don't have the time or don't want to take the risk to join a fire department."

Strictly volunteer fire departments can begin applying for the grants, starting next Wednesday. The Department of Conservation will be accepting those applications through the end of next March.