Gov. Tom Wolf has announced the Office of State Fire Commissioner has awarded $50 million worth of grant funding to fire, rescue, and emergency medical services across the commonwealth to offset expenses related to COVID-19.

“Our fire, rescue and EMS are the first responders often on the front-lines of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gov. Wolf said. “All these professionals - some working as volunteers - give selflessly to support neighbors and communities.”

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, our office has remained open to provide the necessary resources that our fire service and EMS personnel need to fulfill a critical public safety role throughout the commonwealth,” Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego said. “Departments have been exceptionally patient during this process, as our office has worked through changing federal guidance dictating how these dollars can be spent.”

The purpose of this funding is to provide some much-needed financial assistance to first responders who have found it difficult to keep their operations running due to COVID-19.

Of the $50 million in funding set aside for this new program, $44 million will be made available to fire and rescue companies. The remaining $6 million will go to emergency medical services companies.

Eligible expenses include:

·Operational Expenses, such as but not limited to: utilities, insurance, apparatus repairs/fuel, personal protective equipment, lost revenues due to pandemic restrictions and expenses for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting of equipment and property or other expenses incurred to prevent the spread of communicable illnesses.

Program funds must be used for eligible expenses initiated on or after March 6 and completed on or before Dec. 30 to be eligible for this program.

Grant recipients include:

Community Fire Co. No. 1, Schnecksville, $23,288

Community Fire Company of New Tripoli, $25,342

Fogelsville Volunteer Fire Co, $24,931

Friedens Volunteer Fire Company, $22,603

Good Will Fire Co No 1, Trexlertown, $25,342

Goodwill Fire Company No. 1, Germansville, $23,288

Greenawalds Fire/Rescue, $23,014

Laurys Station Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1, $11,094

Lynnport Community Fire Company, $23,288

Neffs Volunteer Fire Company, $24,247

Slatington Volunteer Fire Dept. $23,288

Star Hose Company No. 1, $23,014

Weisenberg Volunteer Fire Department, $23,973

Woodlawn Fire Department, $24,247

Northern Valley Emergency Medical Services, $15,048.