Area fire and emergency medical service units are making plans about how they will use their share of $29 million in state grants announced by Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook.

Two Westmoreland County volunteer fire departments will reap the benefits of 2021 consolidations — Hempfield Volunteer Fire Department Company 4 in Bovard, which merged in January 2021 with Luxor, and the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Department, which merged with the Whitney Volunteer Fire Department in Unity — and are set to receive the highest single grant awards in the county of $30,000 each.

“As a volunteer fire department, any gifts or grant awards are always welcome. Under the state’s grant formula, departments consolidating or merging are entitled to the maximum department award for both departments that consolidate, $15,000 for each department a year, for five consecutive years,” said Youngstown fire Chief Barry Banker.

“Our consolidation has been talked about a lot, but it didn’t formally go through until last May. This is our first year of receiving the double grant award,” he said. “We can certainly use it. It’s already designated to pay for existing gear and equipment.”

Hempfield fire Chief Anthony Kovacic had not heard the grants were announced, but the township had expected the “double” award windfall.

“We’re absolutely glad to receive it. It will certainly be put to good use,” he said.

Statewide, the grant awards totaled $29 million split among 2,115 recipients in 67 counties. In Allegheny County, for example, 161 first responder units received grants ranging from about $7,792 to $25,000.

In Westmoreland County, grant awards totaling over $1.3 million were announced for 94 fire companies, emergency medical service and special response units, such as the county’s Team 211 Rough Terrain Support Unit based at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity.

The rough terrain support unit — with approximately 80 active members who respond to difficult-to-reach locations — received $15,000.

The special unit’s chief, Mike Rosensteel, a Greensburg firefighter, said the unit likely would not be able to survive without state assistance.

“That money definitely enables us to keep going,” Rosensteel said.

The unit was formed in 1991 and initially responded to wildfire calls. Today, members respond not only to hard-t0-reach fires, but also to natural disasters, search-and-rescue calls, remote crime scenes and physical recovery cases. It has all-terrain vehicle, horse and search dog teams available.

“We responded to about 22 cases last year and also assisted at the air show and many other large events throughout the county,” Rosensteel said.

Bell Township fire Chief Steve Master said firefighters were really “happy” to receive word they were getting a $15,000 grant.

“With covid-19, we had to cancel a lot of our fundraising activities, so anything we’re able to get is really important. This year, with the costs of fish and butter, we’re canceling our annual fish fry, so that’s going to hurt,” Master said.

Master said the department plans to use the money to replace its fire hoses, which are more than a decade old.

In announcing the grant awards, Wolf and Cook noted that many first responder units have had difficulting with fundraising efforts throughout the pandemic, and the awards will alleviate some of those problems.

“We know that these organizations continue to experience negative impacts related to the covid-19 pandemic and some are struggling financially. Grant programs like these are vital financial lifelines,” Wolf said.

The complete list of grant awards can be viewed here.

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