Governor Tom Wolf has announced that $762,414 in volunteer fire assistance grants have been distributed to 122 departments, including one in Indiana County.
The grants were awarded to qualifying fire departments in rural areas and communities with less than 10,000 people. The funding can be used for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires. In a statement, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary John Norbeck said that making sure that fire departments are well-equipped and firefighters are well-trained is key to protecting forests and wild areas from both natural and man-made wildfires. This has become especially relevant as much of the state remains under a drought watch due to the lack of rainfall across the state.
While Indiana County is not under the drought watch conditions, one fire department in the county did receive a portion of those funds. Brush Valley Township fire department received $2,350 in state funding.
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