More than 70 rural and volunteer fire departments from 47 Indiana counties have been awarded more than $320,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants.  The awards will be used for training, installation of dry hydrants, or to purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wildland fires. The grants are administered by the DNR Division of Forestry and made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Two of the departments are:

Posey Twnshp VFD - $4, 750 (Communication)

Fountaintown Community VFD - $1, 941 (Water handling)

Recipients were selected based on population density, acres of public wildlands protected, and wildland fire reporting to DNR Fire Control Headquarters. As in past years, emphasis was given to projects that involved the fighting of wildfires.

The awarded grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 and were given to 76 departments.