Local departments display new equipment and apparatus as the state presents fire station construction grants.
, August 25, 2025
In a Shawneetown ceremony, the state awarded significant grants to three Southern Illinois fire departments to repair, upgrade or build stations and buy equipment. Shawneetown and Carrier Mills each received $350,000 while Equality was awarded $300,000. These awards are part of the inaugural Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program, which distributed $5 million to 16 grantees statewide. The state fire marshal highlighted complementary programs including a 0% interest truck and ambulance revolving loan and a small equipment grant program for gear like air packs. Funds will move into planning, procurement and construction according to local timelines.
Shawneetown, Illinois — State fire safety officials announced grants and loans for local departments during a presentation at the Shawneetown Fire Department, sending immediate funding to three Southern Illinois stations to upgrade buildings and equipment. Two departments received the program maximum of $350,000 each and a third received $300,000, with the statewide initiative providing a broader round of inaugural awards across Illinois.
At the Shawneetown event, the Shawneetown Fire Department and the Carrier Mills Fire Department were each listed as receiving $350,000 through the new Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program. The Equality Fire Department received $300,000 through the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s loan program for construction projects. Some reports summarized the three local awards as a combined $1,000,000, while other accounts described the package as totaling more than $1.5 million; the larger statewide program figure confirms additional allocations made at the same time across the state.
The announcement was part of the program’s inaugural year distribution, with the statewide awards for this round totaling $5,000,000 to 16 grantees. The program is designed to help departments repair, upgrade, or construct fire stations, and it makes grants available up to $350,000 per project. Recipients were chosen through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity that was open to municipal fire departments, fire protection districts, and township fire departments.
Officials at the Shawneetown presentation emphasized immediate needs that the funding addresses. Shawneetown showcased new breathing air packs acquired through a separate small equipment grant, and its chief explained that without this mix of grants and loans the department would have little ability to afford both modern gear and planned renovations to their station, which was built in 1984. Carrier Mills displayed a recently purchased fire engine acquired with a 0 percent interest revolving loan for vehicles, and local leaders described the loan program as a critical tool given modern truck prices commonly exceeding the mid six-figure range.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal operates multiple funding streams alongside the construction grants. Those include a Fire Truck and Ambulance Revolving Loan Program that offers 0 percent interest loans for vehicle purchases and a Small Equipment Grant Program that helps departments buy costly gear such as air packs. Officials highlighted how combining grant and loan programs allows smaller departments to modernize equipment while moving forward on building projects.
The 16 grantees named for the 2025 awards include a range of rural and municipal departments across the state. Notable allocations in the list include multiple $350,000 awards and smaller grants tailored to the needs of smaller districts. Recipients named in the announcement include departments in Alexander, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jackson, Johnson, Marion, Mason, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Saline, Union, and White counties, with award amounts ranging from under $30,000 to the $350,000 program maximum.
Applications were scored through a competitive process that prioritized safety improvements, structural repairs, and replacement or construction of stations that improve response capabilities. Departments that received awards will proceed with planning, contracting, and construction or rehabilitation work under program guidelines. The state’s fire marshal office indicated that the set of initiatives aims to improve firefighter safety and community protection across multiple jurisdictions.
Some published accounts of the event included minor typographical inconsistencies in dollar figures; the program’s official listing provides the authoritative award amounts for each grantee. For further program details, departments and interested parties are encouraged to consult the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s public materials and funding guidance.
The program is a new statewide funding effort to help fire departments repair, upgrade, or build stations. It distributes grants of up to $350,000 per project and was awarded competitively in its inaugural year.
Three Southern Illinois departments were announced at the Shawneetown presentation: Shawneetown Fire Department ($350,000), Carrier Mills Fire Department ($350,000), and Equality Fire Department ($300,000).
A competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity was used. The NOFO was open to municipal fire departments, fire protection districts, and township fire departments, and applications were scored against program criteria.
Yes. The state also operates a Fire Truck and Ambulance Revolving Loan Program that offers 0 percent interest vehicle loans, and a Small Equipment Grant Program for high-cost gear like air packs.
Departments seeking details on application rules, timelines, or eligible projects should refer to the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s official materials and public notices.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Program name | Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program |
| Maximum grant | $350,000 |
| Statewide inaugural total | $5,000,000 to 16 grantees |
| Local awards announced at Shawneetown | Shawneetown $350,000; Carrier Mills $350,000; Equality $300,000 |
| Other related programs | 0% vehicle revolving loans and Small Equipment Grants |
| Eligible applicants | Municipal fire departments, fire protection districts, township fire departments |
| Purpose | Repair, upgrade, or construct fire stations to improve firefighter and public safety |
Plaza District, Manhattan, New York, August 25, 2025 News Summary RXR, in partnership with Elliott Investment…
12 miles southwest of Aquinnah, Massachusetts (federal waters), August 25, 2025 News Summary A federal agency…
Derwood, August 25, 2025 News Summary Construction is progressing at 17700 Muncaster Road as a former…
Abu Dhabi, UAE, August 25, 2025 News Summary The Gulf facility management sector is on a…
Enfield, Connecticut, August 25, 2025 News Summary A suspected burglar hiding inside a Garden Street home…
Multiple construction sites, August 25, 2025 News Summary Construction teams must move beyond paper checklists, siloed…