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Rural fire departments are encouraged to apply for 2016 Rural Fire Defense 80/20 Grants, which provide for equipment purchases and fire station construction. Fire departments in communities with less than 10,000 populations are eligible to receive a grant and should apply through Oklahoma Forestry Services by September 1.

The grants provide reimbursement of up to 80% of the total amount of projects, with fire departments receiving reimbursement after the purchase or constructions costs have been paid. A total of $200,000 is available for the program this year and will be awarded in October. Departments can receive up to $30,000 for fire department construction and up to $20,000 for fire equipment purchases.

???Oklahoman???s rural fire departments do an excellent job of protecting their communities and are deserving of financial assistance,??? said George Geissler, director, Oklahoma Forestry Services. ???We are pleased that we were able to fund these grants again this year despite significant state budget cuts.???

The grants are authorized by Governor Mary Fallin, funded by the Oklahoma Legislature and administered by the Oklahoma Forestry Services, a division of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry. Oklahoma???s Rural Fire Coordinators grade the applications and select the recipients.

Fire departments which received funding last year include: Bengal Fire Department Association, Bethel Acres Fire Department, Big Cabin Fire Department, Burbank Fire Department, Carlton Landing Volunteer Fire Department, Cedar Blue Volunteer Fire Department, Centralia Volunteer Fire Department, City of Yale Fire Department, Cleo Springs Fire Department, Cooperton Fire Department, Crescent Fire Department, Eldorado Fire Department, Fletcher Fire Department, IXL Fire Department, Monroe Fire Department, Oglesby Volunteer Fire Department, Sawyer Fire Department, Sharon Fire Department, Stilwell Fire Department and Valley View Volunteer Fire Department.

Applications and more information are available on the Oklahoma Forestry Services website, www.forestry.ok.gov/firegrants or call 405-522-6158.