$635K in grant funding heads to SWMO first responders

Nearly 40 southwest Missouri recipients are included in an announcement of some $6.3 million in grants statewide made to first-responder organizations.

Of the total, $635,391 was made locally to area law enforcement, fire safety and emergency medical services providers, according to a news release. The funding administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety was made available through the American Rescue Plan Act and was part of Gov. Mike Parson's fiscal 2023 budget plan.

Funding is earmarked for expenses such as new equipment, supplies, personnel and training.

“Meeting with first responders and traveling to disaster scenes across the state, we know how essential it is that these devoted public servants have the essential equipment and training they need to do their jobs,” Parson said in the release. “These grants mean law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS personnel will be better equipped in performing their lifesaving work and protecting the public.”

The organizations below are within Springfield Business Journal's 50-mile coverage area.

Local EMS grants, in alphabetical order, went to:
• Citizens Memorial Hospital, $8,833;
• Forsyth Fire Department, $10,421;
• Lebanon Fire Department, $19,942;
• Lebanon Rural Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• Lester E. Cox Medical Center/CoxHealth, $19,625;
• Taney County Western Fire Protection District, $14,461; and
• Willard Fire Protection District, $19,978.

Local fire safety grants, in alphabetical order, went to:
• Aurora Fire Department, $12,841;
• Aurora Rural Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• Billings Fire Protection District, $16,288;
• Brookline Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• Central Taney County Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• City of Branson Fire and Rescue, $17,410;
• Dadeville Rural Fire Protection District, $6,575;
• Fair Grove Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• Forsyth Fire Department, $19,665;
• Lebanon Fire Department, $15,640;
• Lebanon Rural Fire Protection District, $20,000;
• Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District, $14,356;
• Miller Fire Department, $16,572;
• Mount Vernon Fire Protection District, $19,583;
• Nixa Fire Protection District, $19,710;
• Purdy Fire Protection District, $15,040;
• Republic Fire Department, $18,578;
• Strafford Fire Protection District, $18,948; and
• Western Taney County Fire Protection District, $20,000.

Local law enforcement grants, in alphabetical order, went to:
• Aurora Police Department, $17,500;
• Ava Police Department, $2,773;
• Bolivar Police Department, $6,946;
• Branson Police Department, $20,000;
• Branson West Police Department, $14,413;
• Buffalo Police Department, $20,000;
• City of Fair Play, $20,000;
• Forsyth Police Department, $1,946;
• Greene County Sheriff's Office, $19,946;
• Rogersville Police Department, $20,000;
• Stone County Sheriff's Office, $8,225;
• Taney County Sheriff's Office, $19,179; and
• Webster County Sheriff's Office, $20,000.