A Schuylkill County fire company is among 13 in Pennsylvania to receive a $10,000 grant through the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, a nationwide initiative by State Farm® and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).
Yorkville Hose & Fire Company No. 1 of Pottsville was selected as one of 150 volunteer fire departments across 44 states to share in $1.5 million in funding. The announcement came Sunday, August 18th, which also marked Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day.
The program, now in its second year, is designed to help small and rural fire companies meet rising costs of essential equipment and protective gear. Many volunteer departments rely on limited budgets and fundraising efforts to purchase tools and safety equipment necessary to protect their members and the community.
“This grant is a tremendous help for our department,” said a Yorkville Hose Company representative. “The funding will go directly toward ensuring our firefighters have the safest gear possible when responding to emergencies in Pottsville and surrounding communities.”
Departments across the country will use the grants for a variety of needs, including personal protective equipment, EMS and rescue tools, and communication devices.
“The NVFC is proud to team up with State Farm to continue the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program and provide critical assistance to volunteer fire departments,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “Firefighting and rescue equipment is expensive, and many departments struggle to find the funding they need. These grants from State Farm enable small departments to secure equipment they need to be better prepared to serve their communities and protect their responders.”
State Farm representatives said they plan to participate in community engagement events this fall with several of the awarded fire companies.
Since launching in 2024, the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 250 local volunteer fire departments nationwide.