FELICITY, Ohio — The Franklin Township Fire and EMS department, serving the Felicity area in Clermont County, has received a $10,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry to bolster its wildfire and structure fire response capabilities.
The funding, awarded through the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grant program, will support the purchase of wildfire tools, structure fire tools and MARCS communication devices, according to department information.
The VFA program distributed more than $593,000 across 95 projects to rural Ohio fire departments in early 2026. Grants support departments that are at least 80% volunteer-staffed and serve communities of fewer than 10,000 residents within the state’s designated wildfire protection areas, which include Clermont County.
The program, funded in part by the USDA Forest Service and supplemented by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act resources, covers up to 50% of project costs, with a maximum award of $10,000 per grant. Eligible items include personal protective equipment, radios, tools, all-terrain vehicles and other resources to improve wildfire suppression and overall operational readiness.
“In addition to wildland fire training, this funding helps departments serving Ohio’s wildfire protection area enhance their equipment and operational readiness,” ODNR Division of Forestry Chief Dan Balser said in a statement accompanying the statewide announcement. “Investing in local departments strengthens emergency response at the community level.”
Franklin Township Fire and EMS, a volunteer-heavy department in rural southern Clermont County near the village of Felicity, qualifies under the program’s criteria for supporting enhanced preparedness in areas prone to wildland fires.
The grant aligns with ongoing efforts to equip rural first responders amid tight budgets and increasing demands for both structural and wildland fire services.
