Grant Provides Boost To Goodman Fire Department

August 30, 2018 at 5:00 a.m.

by Sally Carroll

Photo by Sally Carroll/McDonald County Press Terry Cook, Forestry Crew Leader with the Missouri Department of Conservation (left) hands a grant check to Goodman Fire Chief Keith Estes. The grant is part of the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant which is being distributed to rural fire departments in July and August. Approximately 174 fire departments are receiving checks for up to $4,000 to help with the purchase of gear and equipment to aid fire departments to suppress wildfires.
Photo by Sally Carroll/McDonald County Press Terry Cook, Forestry Crew Leader with the Missouri Department of Conservation (left) hands a grant check to Goodman Fire Chief Keith Estes. The grant is part of the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant which is being distributed to rural fire departments in July and August. Approximately 174 fire departments are receiving checks for up to $4,000 to help with the purchase of gear and equipment to aid fire departments to suppress wildfires.

Despite some hot temperatures on a recent summer night, Goodman Fire Chief Keith Estes was happy to receive a significant grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Goodman Area Fire Protection District is one of 174 departments receiving a grant this summer.

Terry Cook, Forestry Crew Leader with the Missouri Department of Conservation, presented the grant check to Estes on Tuesday night at the new fire station on East Russell in downtown Goodman.

The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) Grant awards up to $4,000 to help with the purchase of gear and equipment, aiding fire departments to suppress wildfires.

Funds are provided through the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Forest Service.

Fire departments can use the grant to purchase personal protective gear, communications equipment and wildfire suppression equipment and are required to match 50 percent of the funds.

More than $8 million has been distributed in grants during the last 30 years to help fire departments improve safety measures.

General News on 08/30/2018