Local Fire Departments Awarded Small County Volunteer Fire Department Grant

State Representative Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) is pleased to announce that fire departments across Belmont and Monroe County have been awarded more than $325,000 through the newly created Small County Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) Grant Program, established in the state budget championed by House Republicans.

Funding will be used by small, volunteer fire departments to purchase essential equipment, upgrade facilities, and enhance access to firefighting training. The breakdown per department is as follows:

• Bridgeport Fire Department - $49,965.00
• Brookside Fire Department- $48,997.00
• Martins Ferry Fire Department- $10,500.00
• Sardis Fire Department- $50,000

“Supporting first responders is a core function of government, and this is the wise use of tax dollars that Ohioans expect,” said Ferguson. 

Overall, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal awarded a total of $7,997,960 to 190 departments across 49 Ohio counties. 

According to the 2023 Governor’s Volunteer Fire Service Task Force report, approximately 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers, but there continues to be a steady decrease in volunteer firefighters. From 2018 to 2021, there was a 6.5% decrease in volunteer firefighters, but a 9% increase in calls from 2018 to 2020.