Emergency response departments are a vital part of life in rural America when there are problems. Departments from Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin received over $600,000 to fund much-needed equipment and technology upgrades. Through its Fund for Rural America, Compeer Financial awarded 160 Emergency Response Equipment Grants to help volunteer fire, rescue, and ambulance departments improve their operational efficiency, safety, and response times. Rural volunteer emergency response departments are struggling with multiple challenges while serving their communities due to fewer volunteer first responders, outdated personal protective equipment, increases in service requests, and rising costs for essential equipment. “For first responders to give their best, they need to be equipped with the proper tools,” said Karen Schieler, manager of giving at Compeer Financial. “We recognize the challenges volunteer emergency response departments face with funding, and we hope these grants help them continue to take care of critical situations in rural America.”
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