During June, July and August, matching funds grant checks for rural fire departments are being distributed by Missouri Department of Conservation Forestry Division staff. One hundred seventy-seven fire departments will be receiving checks of up to $3,000 to help them with the purchase of personal protective gear, and fire fighting equipment, for wildfire as well as structure fires. The total funding for fire department matching grants this year is $381,159. Fire departments are required to match these funds which are provided by the US Forest Service and the Missouri Department of Conservation. During the last 27 years, nearly $5,530,844 has been distributed to Rural Fire Departments to help them increase the safety of their fighters and provide them with better fire fighting equipment.
Departments receiving checks in Dade County are Everton Rural Fire Department, Dadeville Fire Protection District, and Lockwood Rural Fire Department. Everton RFD received a check in the amount of $1,682 to purchase a mobile radio, 4 hand held radios, 6 speaker mics, a ladder, 4 sections of hose, a chain saw, and a GPS. Dadeville FPD received a check in the amount of $3,000 to purchase 8 pagers and chargers, 2 carbide chain saw chains, 1 poly tank, and 3 sets of structural coats and pants. Lockwood RFD received a check in the amount of $2,680 to purchase 3 hand held radios, a hose reel, a section of 1” booster hose, 2 nozzles, 30 wildland fire fighting gloves, and 6 sets of wildland shirts and pants.
