Rock Island Today

State Senator Neil Anderson recently shared information regarding a fire station construction and rehabilitation grant in a Facebook post dated December 22.

"Fire departments across the state, now have an opportunity to apply for a new Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant Program through the office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall," said Anderson, according to Facebook. "The new grant would allow departments to apply for grants up to $350,000 for the construction and rehabilitation of fire stations, with a total of $5 million available!"

According to the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s website, the Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant is now open for applications. Grantees could receive up to $350,000. To qualify, applicants must have participated in the National Fire Reporting System (NFIRS) for at least two years before applying. Additionally, applicants must be registered under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act and possess their own Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Applicants must also demonstrate that the fire station applying for the grant will operate as such for at least ten years. Applications are due by February 28, 2025.

Screenshot of State Senator Neil Anderson's Dec. 22 Facebook post | State Senator Neil Anderson's Facebook page

Applications will be reviewed based on space need and financial need. Space need considerations include whether an applicant does not own a fire station and wants to build one, requires funds for rehabilitation, or cannot construct or rehabilitate without a grant due to geographical distance or availability issues. Financial need considerations involve evaluating the total budget of the applicant as an available resource, population served, square miles covered, or if the cost of rehabilitation and construction is prohibitively expensive given these factors.

In addition to these criteria, applicant fire departments must comply with NFIRS requirements. State law mandates that fire departments report all incidents, including medical ones, to NFIRS through direct entry using a web-based reporting tool or by importing information from third-party vendor software. All NFIRS applications are web-based.

Senator Anderson has been serving the people of the 47th District since 2015. He grew up in the Quad City area and worked in his family business installing floors before joining the University of Nebraska football team as a walk-on player. After earning his paramedic license, he joined the Moline Fire Department where he continues to work.