WILKES-BARRE — Rep. Aaron Kaufer and Rep. Mike Cabell on Thursday announced more than $750,000 in grant funding has been secured for area fire and EMS companies.
Kaufer, R-Kingston, announced that 20 fire and emergency medical services (EMS) companies in the 120th Legislative District were awarded $317,553.27 in grant funding.
Cabell, R-Butler Township, said 30 fire and emergency medical services (EMS) companies in the 117th Legislative District were collectively awarded more than $450,000 in funding.
The funding was secured through the 2023-24 Pennsylvania Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program.
“These grants are critical to assisting our emergency services, especially at the volunteer level, to function efficiently and reliably,” Kaufer said. “These grants are well-deserved and will help our brave first responders with their critically important and dangerous jobs.”
“We are grateful for our dedicated and hard-working first responders who do such a tremendous job serving our local communities,” said Cabell. “I am pleased so many of them continue to apply for this annual financial support.”
Following is a list of local organizations that received grants and the amount of the awards:
Rep. Kaufer’s 120th District
Back Mountain Regional Fire and EMS (Fire) – $28,201.29.
Back Mountain Regional Fire and EMS (EMS) – $20,000.
Columbian Volunteer Fire Department – $15,590.33.
Exeter Hose Company No. 1 – $13,450.59.
Forty Fort Volunteer Fire Co. – $14,812.24.
Harding Fire Co. – $14,617.72.
Independent Fire Co. No. 1 Inc. – $13,450.59.
Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department – $13,256.07.
Kingston Fire Department – $15,784.85.
Kingston Firemen’s Community Ambulance Assoc. – $15,000.
Kunkle Fire Co. Inc. (Fire) – $14,034.16.
Kunkle Fire Co. Inc. (EMS) – $30,000.
Maltby Volunteer Fire Co. – $13,061.55
Mt. Zion Bicentennial Fire Co. – $14,034.16.
Shavertown Fire Department – $16,006.77.
Swoyersville Hose Co. – $13,256.07.
Trucksville Volunteer EMS Fire and Rescue Assoc. – $13,645.11.
Volunteer Fire Department of Luzerne – $13,256.07.
Wyoming Hose Co. No. 1 – $13,839.63
Wyoming Volunteer Hose Co. No. 2 – $13,256.07.
Rep. Cabell’s 117th District
The grants are as follows:
Back Mountain Regional Fire and EMS Inc. (fire) – $28,201.
Back Mountain Regional Fire and EMS Inc. (EMS) – $20,000.
Dennison Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 – $13,256.
Freeland Fire Department – $16,368.
Freeland Northside Community Ambulance Assoc. – $15,000.
Harveys Lake Fire & Ambulance Assoc. (fire) – $13,062.
Harveys Lake Fire & Ambulance Assoc. (EMS) – $15,000.
Hobbie Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 (fire) – $13,645.
Hobbie Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 (EMS) – $15,000.
Hunlock Creek Volunteer Fire Co. – $14,423.
Huntingdon Valley Volunteer Fire Co. – $13,062.
Jonathan R. Davis Volunteer Fire Department – $13,256.
Lake Silkworth Volunteer Fire Co. – $13,645.
Mocanaqua Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 Inc. – $13,451.
Nescopeck Township Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 – $13,645.
Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Co. 1 – $13,062.
Nuangola Volunteer Fire Co. – $13,062.
Nuremberg Weston Volunteer Fire Co. – $14,423.
Pond Hill-Lily Lake Ambulance Assoc. – $15,000.
Pond Hill-Lily Lake Volunteer Fire Co. – $13,062.
Salem Township Volunteer Fire Co. – $27,423.
Shickshinny Volunteer Ambulance Assoc. Inc. – $15,000.
Slocum Township Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 – $13,256.
Sugarloaf Fire Co. (fire) – $13,840.
Sugarloaf Fire Co. (EMS) – $10,000.
Sweet Valley Ambulance Assoc. Inc. – $15,000.
Sweet Valley Volunteer Fire Co. – $15,201.
Valley Regional Fire and Rescue Inc. (fire) – $14,423.
White Haven Fire Co. No. 1 – $14,229.
White Haven Rescue Unit Inc. – $15,000.
Projects eligible for funding include construction or renovation of a fire or ambulance company facility, purchase or repair of equipment, training, or reduction of existing debt.
The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency with the application process handled through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner (OSFC). The funding amounts are contingent on the recipients filing their grant agreements with OSFC before July 1.