Rural fire department receives grant

Compton Junction Fire Chief Loren Hunt and Board president Tom Moore accept a grant check from the Missouri Department of Conservation with some of the items purchased with the grant.

Special to the Daily Mail

The Compton Junction Fire Department recently received a grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation, aimed at helping them with the purchase of personal protective gear, and fire fighting equipment, for wildland fire as well as structure fires One of 194 fire departments to receive checks of up to $3,000, the Compton Junction department used these funds to purchase 14 pagers, three rechargeable flashlights, two hooligan tools, and one Backpack leaf blower. MDC Resource Forester, Jason Hartman, presented the check to the department on Aug.4.

During July and August, matching funds grant checks for rural fire departments are being distributed by Missouri Department of Conservation Forestry Division staff. The total funding for fire departments this year is approximately $380,000. 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 22 years, over $3.6 million has been distributed to Rural Fire Departments to help them increase the safety of their fighters and provide them with better fire fighting equipment.