(a) Fund. - The Volunteer Fire Department Fund is created as an interest-bearing, nonreverting fund in the Department to provide matching grants to volunteer fire departments to purchase equipment and make capital improvements. The Commissioner shall administer the Fund. Up to one percent (1%) of the Fund may be used for additional staff and resources to administer the Fund in each fiscal year.
(a1) Grant Program. - An eligible fire department may apply to the Commissioner for a grant under this section. In awarding grants under this section, the Commissioner must, to the extent possible, select applicants from all parts of the State based upon need. The Commissioner must award the grants on May 15 of each year subject to the following limitations:
(1) The size of a grant may not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000).
(2) The applicant shall match the grant on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
(3) The grant may be used only for equipment purchases, payment of highway use taxes on those purchases, or capital expenditures necessary to provide fire protection services.
(4) An applicant may receive no more than one grant per fiscal year.
(b) Eligible Fire Department. - A fire department is eligible for a grant under this section if it meets all of the conditions of this subsection. No fire department may be declared ineligible for a grant solely because it is classified as a municipal fire department.
(1) It serves a response area of 12,000 or less in population. In making the population determination, the Department must use the most recent annual population estimates certified by the State Budget Officer.
(2) It consists entirely of volunteer members, with the exception that the unit may have paid members to fill the equivalent of six full-time paid positions.
(3) It has been certified by the Department of Insurance.
(c) Report. - The Commissioner must submit a written report to the General Assembly within 60 days after the grants have been made. This report must contain the amount of the grant and the name of the recipient. (1987, c. 709, s. 1; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1062, ss. 6-9; 1989, c. 770, s. 30; 1995, c. 507, s. 7.21A(k); 1998-212, s. 25(a); 1999-319, s. 1; 2004-203, s. 5(c); 2006-196, s. 8; 2007-250, s. 3; 2013-360, s. 20.2(b).)
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Last modified: March 23, 2014