Pritzker signs plan allowing not-for-profit fire departments to receive state grants

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday allowing not-for-profit fire departments to receive state grant funding.

Many nonprofit fire departments in central and southern Illinois cannot get grant funding for equipment and building upgrades since the state only provides grants to municipal departments.

The new law lets the State Fire Marshal create and award grants for not-for-profit fire departments and protection districts across Illinois.

"My expenses are the same as everybody else," said Signal Hill Fire Chief Tom Elliff. "I have to pay the electric bill. I still have to pay Renew Apparatus. I pay for the maintenance of the building. It's the same throughout every other fire department in the state of Illinois."

Sponsors said the change could help these departments get the resources needed to protect residents safely and effectively.

Senate Bill 2645 passed unanimously out of both chambers. The new law takes effect Jan. 1.

"When there's an emergency, people don't care if the firefighter responding is full-time or part-time, so access to state grants should reflect that," said Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea). "The law gives volunteer departments access to resources they need to maintain facilities, upgrade equipment and continue protecting our communities."