NW Illinois News

Senator Andrew Chesney shared information about the Small Equipment Grant Program for fire departments and nonprofit ambulance services, stating, "Grants of up to $26,000 are being provided for the purchase of small equipment by a fire department, fire protection district, township fire department, or not-for-profit ambulance service." He made the statement in an Aug. 13 Facebook post.

"The IL State Fire Marshal grant portal is now open for applications for the Small Equipment Grant Program," said S Chesney, State Representative, according to Facebook. "Grants of up to $26,000 are being provided for the purchase of small equipment by a fire department, fire protection district, township fire department, or not-for-profit ambulance service. All interested departments should send an application to the office of the State Fire Marshal electronically or postmarked no later than October 1, 2024."

According to the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s website, the Small Equipment Grant Program provides grants for purchasing small equipment by a fire department, fire protection district, township fire department, or not-for-profit ambulance service. Grants up to $26,000 are available to applicants, while the current funding cycle has a $4 million pot to distribute.

Screenshot of Sen. Andrew Chesney's Aug. 13 Facebook post | Sen. Andrew Chesney's Facebook page

Applicants must be in compliance with the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for the previous two years to qualify for grant consideration. Applications for the small grant equipment program must be submitted by Oct. 1, either electronically or postmarked by Oct. 1. Applicants should only submit one application – an electronic application or a mailed physical copy.

The grants are intended for departments and not-for-profit ambulance services that struggle to generate money for equipment purchases. Applicants may have to provide documentation to determine their eligibility. The State Office of the Fire Marshal says most departments and non-for-profit ambulance services are eligible. Fire Departments must submit documentation of calls responded to from October 2022 through September 2024, including ambulance calls.

The application process will include a pre-review to check for NFIRS compliance, which will remove applications from organizations that are not NFIRS compliant. Previous award winners that submit applications will only be reviewed after all new organizations that have not received a grant in the past.

For this grant cycle, items considered a priority when evaluating equipment include personal infection control items such as anti-microbial wipes, boot covers, face shields, goggles, infection control kits, N-95 masks, UV and sanitizing equipment, and medical gloves; firefighter safety equipment including flashing beacon lights, flashlights, PASS devices (Personal Alert Safety System), portable handheld radios, portable foam equipment; and EMS emergency response equipment like AED machines (Automated External Defibrillators), ambulance-based oxygen bottles, backboards, cardiac monitors, mass casualty gear, oxygen regulators, stair chairs, portable suction units and other items.

Andrew S. Chesney has represented the 89th District since December 2018. He has served as an elected member of the Freeport City Council and has been a past board member of the Regional Access Mobilization Project (RAMP)—an organization that provides support services and advocacy for people with disabilities. He is also a former mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.