State Farm® and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have teamed up for the second year to support local volunteer fire departments with funding to secure needed equipment to help keep their responders safe and protect their communities. Through this year’s Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, 150 departments in 44 states received a $10,000 grant, including seven departments in Mississippi, including the Madden Volunteer Fire Department in Leake County.
The announcement was made on August 18, a date many celebrate as Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day. Volunteer firefighters make up 65% of the U.S. fire service, and communities across the country rely on volunteers to respond to emergencies of all kinds – from structure and wildland fires, to vehicle crashes and medical emergencies, to natural disasters and hazmat incidents.
Many of these small-town and rural fire departments operate with limited budgets, making it difficult to meet the rising costs of the equipment and gear they need to best serve their community. These grants are a lifeline for local departments to obtain equipment that will increase safety, efficiency and effectiveness. Grants will be used to purchase a wide variety of department necessities, including personal protective equipment, EMS and rescue tools, communication devices and much more.
Other fire departments in Mississippi receiving the grant include:
- Duffee Volunteer Fire Department Inc. (Little Rock)
- Harmony Volunteer Fire Department (Quitman)
- Hazlehurst Volunteer Fire Department
- Potts Camp Fire & Rescue
- Stonewall Volunteer Fire Department
- Watson Volunteer Fire Department (Byhalia)
State Farm and the NVFC will also join 10 of the fire department recipients at a community engagement event this fall, which may include an open house, fire prevention event, parade or other local gathering.
“The NVFC is proud to team up with State Farm to continue the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program and provide critical assistance to volunteer fire departments,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “Firefighting and rescue equipment is expensive, and many departments struggle to find the funding they need. These grants from State Farm enable small departments to secure equipment they need to be better prepared to serve their communities and protect their responders.”
“We are proud to support volunteer firefighters – the ultimate good neighbors who risk their lives daily,” said Rasheed Merritt, State Farm corporate responsibility assistant vice president. “At State Farm, we’re committed to helping people manage everyday risks and building safer, stronger communities.”
In addition to the 150 grants, State Farm provided complimentary NVFC memberships to the first 2,000 eligible applicants to provide more responders with access to an array of benefits, including free training, support services and more. The NVFC is the leading national nonprofit association serving the volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services.
Since the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program launched in 2024, $2.5 million has been awarded to 250 local fire departments. Find information about the grant program, including a list of departments receiving the grants, on the NVFC website at www.nvfc.org/statefarm.
