Last Updated on June 8, 2015 2:57 pm
Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Wayne Goodwin is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2015 Volunteer Fire Department Fund grants. This year, more than $9.5 million was awarded to 574 volunteer fire departments across the state.
The Volunteer Fire Department Fund, administered by the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal, was created by the General Assembly in 1988 to provide dollar matching grants to assist volunteer fire departments with the purchase of equipment and capital expenditures. The maximum annual award amount is $30,000 per applicant.
“I'm proud that so many fire departments are taking advantage of this important grant program. These grants help our volunteer fire departments stretch their budgets to better serve their communities,” said Goodwin.
The recipient will match the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis unless the department receives less than $50,000 per year from municipal and county funding, in which case the recipient will match one dollar for every three dollars of grant funds up to $30,000.
More than $110 million in matching grant funds has been awarded to volunteer fire departments since the program began in 1988.
In Watauga County there are four volunteer fire departments that will receive grant money. Meat Camp ($19,712), Seven Devils ($27,399), Beech Mountain ($29,981) and Zionville ($30,000). Ashe has 6 departments and Avery has 7 departments what will receive funds.
