In June, Pleasant Square Volunteer Fire Company applied for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant (VFA) program is made possible by the Federal Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. The grant is a 50/50 matching funds program. Its purpose is to make funds available to rural fire companies for the purchase of wildland firefighting equipment such as portable backpack pumps, Nomex protective clothing, hand tools, hard hats, hose, portable radios and dry hydrants.

We have been awarded the grant to cover half the cost of replacing 350 feet of fire hose that failed hose safety testing earlier this year. We are very appreciative of these funds that will help offset the impact of these unanticipated costs.

- President B. Logan Barclay