East Central Reporter

State Representative Adam Niemerg shared information about a grant opportunity for fire departments to improve their small equipment. "Grants of up to $26,000 are being provided for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment," he stated in an Aug. 12 Facebook post.

"The Illinois State Fire Marshal is now accepting applications for the Small Equipment Grant Program," said Adam M Niemerg, State Representative for 102nd District (R), according to Facebook. "Grants of up to $26,000 are being provided for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment. All interested departments should send an application to OSFM electronically or postmarked no later than October 1, 2024."

According to the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s website, grants up to $26,000 are available to applicants, with a current funding cycle totaling $4 million. Applicants must be compliant with the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for the previous two years to qualify for grant consideration.

Screenshot of Rep. Adam Niemerg's Aug. 12 Facebook post | Rep. Adam Niemerg's Facebook page

Applications for the small grant equipment program must be submitted by Oct. 1, either electronically or postmarked by that date. Applicants should only submit one application—either an electronic application or a mailed physical copy.

The grants are intended for departments and not-for-profit ambulance services that struggle to generate funds for equipment purchases. According to the State Office of the Fire Marshal, applicants may need to provide documentation to determine their eligibility, although most departments and non-for-profit ambulance services are eligible. Fire Departments must submit documentation of calls responded to from October 2022 through September 2024, including ambulance calls.

The application process will include a pre-review to check for NFIRS compliance, which will remove applications from organizations that are not NFIRS compliant. Previous award winners who submit applications will only be reviewed after all new organizations that have not received a grant in the past.

For this grant cycle, items considered a priority when evaluating equipment include personal infection control items such as anti-microbial wipes, boot covers, face shields, goggles, infection control kits, N-95 masks, UV and sanitizing equipment, and medical gloves; firefighter safety equipment including flashing beacon lights, flashlights, PASS devices (Personal Alert Safety System), portable handheld radios, portable foam equipment; and EMS emergency response equipment like AED machines (Automated External Defibrillators), ambulance-based oxygen bottles, backboards, cardiac monitors, mass casualty gear, oxygen regulators, stair chairs, portable suction units and other items.

Niemerg was first elected in 2020. He describes himself as a "fiscal conservative focused on reducing taxes and fighting for limited government and pension reform," according to his official biography. He is also a senior claims adjuster with Country Financial and holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University.