Burns: Grants available to help volunteer fire companies battle wildfires

Grants can be used for equipment, vehicles, radios and training

Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus    April 7, 2020 | 2:18 PM

EBENSBURG, April 7 – As volunteer fire companies across Pennsylvania struggle to maintain operations and funding during the coronavirus crisis, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, wanted to alert them to the availability of grants to help them fight wildfires.

“As we fight against this pandemic, we cannot forget to continue to support our volunteer firefighters who are on the front lines of this crisis in so many different ways,” Burns said. “Over the past several years, I’ve secured more than $1.3 million to help our local firefighters, and I’m committed to ensuring they have the resources they need to answer the call.”

The grant program, offered through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and paid through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has awarded more than $13 million since it began in 1982.  

Aid is granted on a cost-share basis. Grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public and private nonprofit organizations in the agreement. The maximum grant that will be considered from any fire company in 2020 is $10,000.  

Grant applications must be electronically submitted through DCNR’s grant website by 4 p.m. Thursday, May 21. To expedite application and decision-making processes, DCNR is accepting only online applications. Applicants should visit here.