38 Connecticut volunteer fire departments receive grant money

HARTFORD, Conn. — Thirty-eight volunteer fire departments in Connecticut will soon receive a boost from grant funding.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced this week which departments have earned a Volunteer Fire Capacity Grant, or VFC Grant.

VFC Grants are designed to improve firefighting capabilities by supporting training and equipment purchases.

The funds are dispersed through a federal program that supports fire departments in towns with fewer than 10,000 residents.

Over the past quarter-century, Congress has authorized VFC funds each year under the Farm Bill. Funding passes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to the DEEP Forestry Division.

DEEP then awards grants of up to $2,500 to volunteer firefighter projects