Published: November 22, 2009 09:47 pm      

County receives $1.5 million for fire stations

Lebanon — Two rural fire departments received good news Friday, bumping the total number of departments ready to build new fire stations to three.

Thorntown and Jamestown fire departments got word Friday that each department received a $500,000 grant to build a new station. Advance Fire Department heard Sept. 4 they also got a $500,000 grant for a new station.

“Quite a bit of money passed through the county today,” said Rick Caldwell, fire chief of JFD, Friday. “For small towns like us to get that kind of money, it's a big deal.”

Jamestown found out half an hour before Thorntown did, Caldwell said.

“I called (Mike Martin of TFD) to tell him we got our (grant), and he called me right back to say he got his,” Caldwell said. “I just can’t believe it.”

Both Thorntown and Jamestown received grants from Indiana OCRA — the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. Jamestown had to match $119,800 for the project, which they already have, Caldwell said, adding that Thorntown had already reached their match requirement, too.



For more of the story, see Monday's Lebanon Reporter.