News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources awarded more than $454,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 101 rural and volunteer fire departments from 58 counties.

The awards will be used to fund training or purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wild land fires. The grants are administered by the DNR Division of Forestry and made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

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

Area fire departments receiving the grants in 2023 included:

• Aubbeenaubbee Township Fire Department, Fulton County, $4,956.50, for water handling
• Argos Volunteer Fire Department, Marshall County, $5,000, for safety
• Smith Township Volunteer Fire Department, Whitley County, $4,671, for water handling
• Roann Volunteer Fire Department, Wabash County, $4,600, for communications
• Osolo Township Volunteer Fire Department, Elkhart County, $4,750, for water handling
• Albion Fire Department, Noble County, $5,000, for safety
• Laotto Fire Department, Noble County, $5,000, for safety
• Sparta Township Fire Department, Noble County, $1,500, for water handling

Fire departments interested in applying for future grants should contact Mark Huter, assistant state fire coordinator, Fire Control Headquarters, 6220 Forest Road, Martinsville, IN 46151, or call (765) 792-4654.