Contact: Kyle Hoyd
Wildland Fire Program
kyle.hoyd@delaware.gov
DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service’s Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program has awarded more than $18,000 to six volunteer fire departments to help boost their capability and readiness to respond to wildfires.
“Delaware’s volunteer fire companies (VFC’s) are vital to the Delaware Forest Service because they provide much of the manpower and resources to fight wildfires in the state. The VFA grant program offers funding to fire companies for expenses such as repairing pumps and skids on brush units and providing wildland fire tools and personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition to this grant program, the Delaware Forest Service also maintains a supply cache for wildland fire tools and forestry hose at its state forests, which helps fire companies swap out used tools at no cost,” said Kyle Hoyd, Delaware Forest Service’s assistant forestry administrator. “We hope to continue our working relationship with local fire companies throughout Delaware by continuing to provide technical, educational, and financial support.
The VFA Grant program is designed to help volunteer fire companies underwrite the acquisition cost of pumps, hoses, and equipment to respond to and suppress wildfires. Since its inception, more than $350,000 has been awarded to enhance wildfire response in the First State.
2020 Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants
| Volunteer Fire Company | City | County | Award |
| Volunteer Hose Company (27) | Middletown | New Castle | $4,500 |
| Farmington Volunteer Fire Co. (47) | Farmington | Kent | $1,100 |
| Hartly Volunteer Fire Co. (51) | Hartly | Kent | $4,196 |
| Laurel Fire Department (81) | Laurel | Sussex | $3,740 |
| Millsboro Volunteer Fire Co. (83) | Millsboro | Sussex | $3,816 |
| Selbyville Volunteer Fire Co. (88) | Selbyville | Sussex | $1,510 |
| Total | $18,862 | ||