Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) | Facebook
Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) | Facebook
State Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) announced late last month that more than $62,000 in grant money to help with equipment purchases was awarded to four fire departments in Illinois' 52nd Senate District, the district he represents.
Carroll Fire Protection District was given $16,376.76, Gifford Fire Protection District received $9,350, Savoy Fire Department was awarded $10,982, and Westville Area Fire Protection District was granted the highest amount eligible through the grant program, $26,000.
"First responders put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. These equipment grants come at a critical time for local fire departments and will allow them to replace outdated gear that no longer meets current standards," Bennett wrote in a June 22 post on his Facebook page.
According to a release on Bennett's Senate website, the Office of the State Fire Marshal created the Small Equipment Grant Program to help fire departments and EMS providers in Illinois purchase needed equipment to help in their operations.
The grants handed out are in amounts of up to $26,000 to help support small purchases for fighting fires and ambulance equipment.
More than 140 fire departments and EMS providers received a total of $3.3 million through the program this year, according to Bennett's website.
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