Early this week, the Community Foundation of Abilene announced the awarding of over $200,000 in grants to support neighboring rural communities and the fire departments that serve them. Both Roby and Rotan departments — better known as the Fisher County Volunteer Fire Department —were recipients during this year’s grant cycle.
The average cost to outfit a firefighter is $22,000,' said Meagan Harris, rural grants manager with the Community Foundation of Abilene. 'When you consider other expenses to maintain compliant equipment and supplies, the costs add up.'
Since the launch of the grant program in 2021, the Foundation has been able to create relationships and support local rural VFDs. The need for these rural communities is significant, and this grant cycle has helped alleviate the burden of the growing equipment costs.
he Foundation grant for volunteer fire departments (VFDs) opens at the start of each new year with nearly 20 departments eligible during this year’s cycle, which included those throughout the regional area. Fisher County VFDs submitted applications in March, with Roby requesting funds for new radios, and Rotan needing to replace fire hoses.
Other eligible VFDs from surrounding counties including Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Kent, Knox, Mitchell, Nolan, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor and Throckmorton, also submitted applications.
Their requests ranged from personal protective gear for operations in both structural and wildland settings, fire hoses, radios, self-contained breathing apparatus or SCBAs, partial funding for trucks, additions to fire stations, and fire shelters for wildland operations.
With support from community contributions and donor- advised funds, the Foundation has awarded more than $200,000 to volunteer fire departments in this year's grant cycle. Grants ranged from $4,000 to $15,000, providing added support for volunteer fire departments (VFDs) to purchase the safety and equipment needed to serve and protect our neighbors in communities surrounding Abilene.
“This grant cycle is important to our rural communities,” said Katie Alford, Foundation President/CEO. “We're honored to partner with our donors to provide this funding opportunity for our volunteer fire departments.”
Fisher County Fire Marshal Robert Hoffman said he would be sending acceptance confirmation this week, which will free up the funds and allow for the departments to purchase the requested equipment. “Cost of the equipment to fight the fires have gone through the roof, making it a struggle to keep them going and safe,” said Hoffman. “[Grants] are a great opportunity for us all.”
Officials said many of these grants are only made possible through support from community contributions and donor-advised funds. Funding programs like the one through Community Foundation of Abilene are often some of the few ways for rural departments to upgrade equipment and ensure safety.