Local Fire Departments Awarded Small County Volunteer Fire Department Grants
ASHLAND COUNTY, Ohio — Several volunteer fire departments across Ashland County are receiving a financial boost to support emergency services after being awarded more than $81,000 in funding through the newly created Small County Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) Grant Program.
According to State Representative Melanie Miller (R-Ashland), the funding was included in the state budget championed by House Republicans and is designed to help smaller volunteer departments purchase equipment, improve facilities, and expand firefighter training opportunities.
Three Ashland County departments were selected to receive grant funding:
Mifflin Community Volunteer Fire Department — $50,000
Ruggles-Troy Volunteer Fire Department — $13,102
Sullivan Volunteer Fire Department — $18,307
“Our volunteer fire departments play an essential role in keeping our communities safe,” Miller said. “These grants will help provide critical equipment and training so departments in Ashland County can continue responding quickly and effectively when our residents need them most.”
The grants are administered through the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal, which awarded a total of $7,997,960 to 190 departments across 49 Ohio counties through the program.
State officials say the funding comes at a time when many volunteer departments are facing growing challenges. According to the 2023 Governor’s Volunteer Fire Service Task Force report, roughly 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteer firefighters. However, departments are seeing declining volunteer numbers even as emergency calls continue to rise.
The report found a 6.5% decrease in volunteer firefighters between 2018 and 2021, while calls for service increased 9% between 2018 and 2020, placing additional strain on small rural departments.
Local officials say the new grant program is intended to help bridge those gaps by ensuring departments have the tools, training, and resources needed to continue protecting their communities.
