The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service has committed to providing Volunteer Fire Assistance grants to 55 volunteer fire departments in 17 counties across the state.
Hancock Volunteer Fire Company was among the organizations to get the federal wildland support, in the amount of $3,500.
Departments in Allegany, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Garrett, Howard, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Washington and Wicomico counties received the money.
photo courtesy of Maryland DNR
The funded projects help volunteer fire companies enhance wildland fire protection in rural communities.
For the 2025 grant cycle, finalized in December, the Maryland Forest Service is providing $167,314 in match funding to complete $370,376 in total project cost. The grants match up to 50 percent of project cost with a maximum grant of $3,500 per department. For this grant cycle, all but two Maryland applicants received a grant.
Funding for this program is provided by the USDA Forest Service.
Maryland Volunteer Fire Assistance grant recipients in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties, along with the grant amount and total project cost in parentheses, are:
Allegany County
Barton Hose Company No. 1
$3,500
($7,913)
Borden Shaft Volunteer Fire Company No. 1
$3,500
($7,052)
Bowman’s Addition Volunteer Fire Company
$1,830
($3,660)
Cresaptown Volunteer Fire Department
$2,850
($5,700)
Frostburg Fire No. 1
$3,450
($6,900)
LaVale Volunteer Fire Department
$3,250
($6,500)
Mount Savage Volunteer Fire Department
$3,500
($7,000)
Rawlings Volunteer Fire Department
$3,500
($7,000)
Garrett County
Accident Volunteer Fire Company
$3,118
($6,235)
Bittinger Volunteer Fire Department
$3,500
($7,000)
Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Company
$3,488
($6,976)
Kitzmiller Volunteer Fire Department
$3,500
($7,000)
Oakland Volunteer Fire Department
$1,659
($3,318)
Washington County
Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company
$3,441
($6,881)
First Hose Company of Boonsboro
$3,500
($7,000)
Funkstown Volunteer Fire Company
$2,866
($5,731)
Hancock Fire Company
$3,500
($10,000)
Leitersburg Volunteer Fire Company
$2,839
($5,678)
Longmeadow Volunteer Fire Company
$3,428
($6,855)
Mt. Aetna Volunteer Fire Department
$3,500
($7,276)
Potomac Valley Fire Company
$3,500
($7,000)
Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Company
$3,500
($7,240)
Williamsport Volunteer Fire and EMS
$3,464
($6,927)
