Missouri awards over $1.4 million in state equipment grants to volunteer fire departments to bolster firefighting capabilities in rural communities

The Department of Public Safety has awarded a total of $1.455 million to 108 fire departments across the state to bolster the firefighting capabilities of small volunteer departments that provide critical protection to their rural communities. The Missouri Volunteer Fire Department Grant provided up to $15,000 for the purchase of equipment to small volunteer departments with annual operating budgets of $50,000 or less, where resources for essential firefighting equipment can be strained.

“Missouri’s firefighters stand guard, protecting our communities from fires, natural disasters and other emergencies each and every day,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “We’re glad to see this funding put to work for precisely the reason we created the grant – to provide essential firefighting and safety equipment to the smallest volunteer departments, whose members define selfless community service each time they respond to a call.” 

The most requested items were firefighter turnout gear, extrication equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and interoperable radios and repeaters for communication. There was also strong demand for basic supplies like hoses, nozzles, power tools and saws.

“We are extremely pleased to see this funding supplying vitally important equipment to agencies that, despite their small size and tight budgets, provide a true lifeline to the small, rural communities they serve,” Department of Public Safety Director Mark James said. “The 108 volunteer firefighting agencies that received this funding make tremendous sacrifices and take on great risks to themselves in order to protect their neighbors and small businesses that are crucial to their communities.”

DPS announced the first-ever Missouri Volunteer Fire Department Grant in October 2025. There was a 5% local cash match, which means for equipment costing $15,789.47, the local match share would be $789.47 and the state share of 95% would be $15,000. The performance period of the grant ended May 15, 2026.

Missouri Volunteer Fire Department Grant Recipients

• Advance Fire Department
• Alton Fire Department
• Arbyrd Volunteer Fire Department
• Atlanta Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Auxvasse
• Baring Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
• Bell City Volunteer Fire Department
• Bellflower Volunteer Fire Protection District
• Bennett Spring Fire Protection District
• Benton Fire Department
• Bolckow Fire Protection District
• Bradleyville Rural Volunteer Fire Department
• Brandsville Fire Protection District
• Brixey-Rockbridge Volunteer Fire Department
• Bronaugh Community Fire Protection Association
• Browning Rural Fire Department
• Bucklin and New Boston Volunteer Fire Department
• Bunker Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Cardwell
• Caulfield Membership Fire Department
• Cedar Creek Fire Protection District
• Chamois Fire Protection District
• Clarence Fire Department
• Clark County Fire Corporation
• Cloud 9 Ranch Volunteer Fire Department
• Cooter Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Crane
• Cross Timbers Rural Fire Department
• Curryville Fire Protection District
• Dadeville Rural Fire Protection District
• Downing Community Fire Association
• Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department
• Edina Fire Department
• Eleven Point Rural Fire Department
• Fillmore Fire Protection District
• Frankford Fire Department
• Frankford/Ashburn Volunteer Rural Fire Department
• Freeburg Community Fire Association
• Gainesville Volunteer Fire Department
• Galt Fire Protection District
• Gatewood Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Gideon
• Goodhope Fire Department
• Gorin District Volunteer Fire Department
• Graham Fire Protection District
• Grandin Rural Volunteer Fire Department
• Green Ridge Community Fire Department
• Greentop Fire Association
• Grovespring Area Fire Protection Association
• Highway K Volunteer Fire Department
• Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department
• Hornersville Fire Department
• Ironton Fire Department
• Jadwin Volunteer Fire Department
• Kahoka Fire Department
• Knox City Volunteer Fire Department
• Lake Road FF14/FF17 Volunteer Fire Department
• Leadington Fire Department
• Liberty Township Fire Protection District
• Licking Rural Fire Department
• Lilbourn Volunteer Fire Department
• Linneus Fire Protection District
• Long Lane Volunteer Fire Department
• Lowndes Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department
• Maitland Volunteer Fire Protection District
• Martinsburg Area Fire Protection District
• Matthews Volunteer Fire Department
• Mayview Fire Protection District
• Meadville Community Fire Protection District
• Miller City Fire Department
• Missouri State Fair Fire Department
• Montauk Rural Fire Department
• Morehouse Fire Rescue
• Myrtle Fire Department
• New London City Volunteer Fire Department
• New London Rural Volunteer Fire Department
• Norwood Community Volunteer Fire Department
• Novelty-Plevna Community Rural Fire Department
• Osage Valley Fire Protection District
• Osborn Fire Protection District
• Portageville Rural Fire Department
• Pumpkin Center Fire Protection District
• Qulin Fire Protection District
• Raymondville Volunteer Fire Department
• Revere Volunteer Fire Department
• Rhineland Area Volunteer Fire Department
• Ripley County Fire Department
• Rosendale Fire Protection District
• Senath Fire Department
• Shelby Rural Fire Department
• Skyline Area Volunteer Fire Department
• Squires Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Stockton
• Stotts City Fire Protection District
• Tecumseh Volunteer Fire Department
• City of Thayer
• Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department
• Timber Community Fire Protection District
• Tri-C Volunteer Fire Department
• Tunas Volunteer Fire Department
• Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department
• Urbana Rural Fire Department
• Van Buren Volunteer Fire Department
• Wappapello Volunteer Fire Department
• Wardell Fire Department
• Wayland Fire Protection Association
• Webb Creek Volunteer Fire Department
• Whitewater Fire Protection District

For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov