The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has awarded more than $454,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 101 rural and volunteer fire departments from 58 counties.
Included in those grant recipients is the Forest Volunteer Fire Department, which received a $5,000 grant for communications.
The awards will be used to fund training or 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.
Recipients were selected based on population density, acres of public lands 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.