GARDNERS, Pa. – The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego on Thursday announced more than 130 wildfire-fighting grants totaling nearly $620,000 to assist volunteer fire companies throughout the state, including $10,000.00 awarded to Clarion Fire & Hose Co. No. 1.

(Photo by Dave Cyphert of ProPoint Media Photography)

The new funding was announced at the gathering at Pine Grove Furnace State Park marking Smokey Bear’s historic impact on forest fire prevention.

“Across the state, a total of $617,809 will benefit volunteers serving rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common,” DCNR Sec. Dunn said. “To appreciate the value of well-equipped and highly trained wildfire fighters, one only has to look outside Pennsylvania to the horrific fires that sometimes plague other states.

“So, this is a fun day — and a very serious day — as some of our coworkers and neighbors could well be called upon again to battle wildfires in Pennsylvania and far beyond our state borders. Fittingly, that combination of fun and seriousness always has been the embodiment of what Smokey has preached for 75 years. This is the perfect occasion to announce new funding help our volunteer fire companies.”

“Smokey has been a friend and ally to firefighters throughout the nation, and an icon to park-goers young and old,” State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego said. “Though the increased threat of wildfires is relatively new, Smokey’s message of responsibility and self-awareness has proven to be timeless. Prevention will always be the most effective tool we have at our disposal to fight wildfires.”

Although progress has been made, wildfires remain one of the most critical environmental issues affecting the U.S.

Many Americans believe that lightning starts most wildfires. In fact, on average nearly nine out of 10 wildfires nationwide today are caused by people.

“Too often in our spring wildfire season, volunteer fire companies are kept jumping from one wildfire to the next,” said Pennsylvania State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger. “They need all the help they can get, and I am delighted to announce DCNR will be again providing funding to 132 companies that need it most.”

2019 Volunteer Fire Company Grant Recipients Listed by County:

Allegheny

• Coulter Volunteer Fire Co & Relief Inc, Coulters, $492
• Frazer Township Volunteer Fire Department No 1, Tarentum, $5,000

Bedford

• Alum Bank Community Volunteer Fire Co, Alum Bank, $5,300

Berks

• Community Volunteer Fire Company of Lower Alsace Township, Reading, $10,000
• Eastern Berks Fire Department, Barto, $3,500
• Friendship Fire Company Num 1 of Geigertown, Geigertown, $3,000
• Shartlesville Community Fire Company Number 1, Shartlesville, $6,443

Bradford

• Innes Hose Company, Canton, $10,000

Bucks

• Richlandtown Fire Company, Richlandtown, $7,097

Butler

• Bruin Volunteer Fire Department, Bruin, $4,510
• Chicora Community Hose & Relief Association, Chicora, $2,410

Cambria

• Adams Township Volunteer Fire Company #1, Dunlo, $5,000
• Cambria Township Volunteer Fire Co, Colver, $1,000
• Dale Boro Fire Co, Johnstown, $1,100
• Middle Taylor Township Volunteer Fire Company, Johnstown, $1,772
• Portage Volunteer Fire Co Num 1, Portage, $2,878
• Reade Township Volunteer Fire Co, Blandburg, $4,000

Cameron

• Emporium Fire Department Inc, Emporium, $2,105

Centre

• Boalsburg Fire Co, Boalsburg, $1,800
• Centre Hall Volunteer Fire Company, Centre Hall, $4,986
• Citizens Hook & Ladder Co #1, Milesburg, $3,483
• Nittany Wildland Firefighters Inc, Bellefonte, $5,000
• Snow Shoe Fire Company, Snow Shoe, $10,000

Chester

• West Bradford Fire Company, West Chester, $5,000

Clarion

• Clarion Fire & Hose Co No 1, Clarion, $10,000

Clearfield

• Community Volunteer Fire Department of Mahaffey, Mahaffey, $5,836
• Karthaus Volunteer Fire Company, Karthaus, $6,250

Clinton

• Citizens Hose Co #5, Lock Haven, $3,033
• Lamar Township Volunteer Fire Co, Mill Hall, $3,584
• Nippenose Valley Volunteer Fire Company, Jersey Shore, $2,775
• Sugar Valley Community Volunteer Fire Company Inc, Loganton, $5,125

Columbia

• Catawissa Hose Co 1, Catawissa, $3,100

Crawford

• East Mead Volunteer Fire Co 1 Relief Association, Meadville, $5,725
• Linesville Volunteer Fire Department Inc, Linesville, $2,500

Cumberland

• Cumberland Valley Hose Co No 2, Shippensburg, $1,900
• Penn Township Volunteer Fire Company, Newville, $9,035

Dauphin

• Fisherville Vol Fire Co #1, Halifax, $3,693
• Millersburg Fire Company 1, Millersburg, $4,563
• Wiconisco Fire Engine Company No 1 Inc, Wiconisco, $10,000

Erie

• Crescent Hose Company, North East, $7,834
• Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department, Edinboro, $3,466
• Kuhl Hose Company Inc, Erie, $3,975
• Perry Hi-Way Hose Co, Erie, $5,748
• Union City Volunteer Fire Company, Union City, $3,000

Fayette

• Adah Volunteer Fire Department, Adah, $6,515
• Ohiopyle Stewart Volunteer Fire Company, Ohiopyle, $4,090
• Point Marion Volunteer Fire Dept, Point Marion, $6,339

Forest

• Tionesta Volunteer Fire Dept, Tionesta, $1,361

Franklin

• Pleasant Hall Volunteer Fire Co, Pleasant Hall, $2,988

Fulton

• Hustontown Area Volunteer Fire Co, Hustontown, $1,800

Greene

• Jefferson Volunteer Fire Co, Jefferson, $4,750
• Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department, Rices Landing, $3,100

Huntingdon

• Alexandria Volunteer Fire Company, Alexandria, $1,585
• Mill Creek Borough Volunteer Fire Company, Mill Creek, $1,555
• Shade Gap Fire Company, Shade Gap, $4,846

Indiana

• Armagh & East Wheatfield Township Volunteer Fire Co, Armagh, $3,500
• Aultman Volunteer Fire Association, Aultman, $5,000

Jefferson

• Elk Run Volunteer Fire Company, Punxsutawney, $3,750
• Knox Township Volunteer Fire Dept, Knoxdale, $10,000
• Summerville Volunteer Firemens Association, Summerville, $1,976

Juniata

• Delaware Township Fire Co, Mifflintown, $4,138
• East Waterford Community Fire Company, East Waterford, $550
• Friendship Fire Company, Port Royal, $10,000

Lackawanna

• Covington Independent Fire Company, Covington Township, $2,500
• Eagle Mcclure Hose Company Number 1, Taylor, $5,670
• Jessup Hose Company No 2, Jessup, $9,500
• Wilson Fire Company Number 1, Peckville, $3,563

Lancaster

• Keystone Wildfire Crew Inc, Holtwood, $2,225
• Reinholds Station Fire Co #1, Reinholds, $7,460
• White Horse Fire Company, Gap, $4,649

Lawrence

• Enon Valley Community Volunteer Fire Department, Enon Valley, $1,637
• Shenango Township Volunteer Fire Dept, New Castle, $2,703
• Wampum Volunteer Fire Department, Wampum, $4,163

Lebanon

• Neptune Fire Co No 1, Richland, $1,560

Luzerne

• Hazle Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue Co, Harleigh, $3,211
• Huntington Valley Volunteer Fire Company, Huntington Mills, $4,224
• White Haven Fire Company No 1, White Haven, $1,175

Lycoming

• Plunketts Creek Township Fire Department, Williamsport, $2,395
• Ralston Volunteer Fire Co Inc, Ralston, $5,000
• Trout Run Volunteer Fire Company, Trout Run, $7,559
• Unityville Volunteer Fire Company, Unityville, $1,103

McKean

• Rew Volunteer Fire Department, Rew, $10,000
• Smethport Fire Department Inc, Smethport, $10,000

Mifflin

• McVeytown Volunteer Fire Company, McVeytown, $3,500

Monroe

• Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Co, Reeders, $2,931
• Kunkletown Volunteer Fire Co, Kunkletown, $9,629
• Tunkhannock Township Vol Fire Co, Long Pond, $8,916

Montgomery

• Pennsburg Fire Co #1, Pennsburg, $1,912

Northampton

• Bath Vol Fire Fighters & Ambulance Corps Inc, Bath, $5,150
• Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company, Bangor, $5,000

Perry

• Tuscarora Wildland Fire Crew, New Bloomfield, $2,920

Pike

• Delaware Township Volunteer Fire Co, Dingmans Ferry, $10,000
• Greeley Volunteer Fire Department Inc, Greeley, $5,000
• Shohola Township Volunteer Fire & Rescue Inc, Shohola, $2,000

Potter

• Genesee Volunteer Fire Department Inc, Genesee, $1,848

Schuylkill

• New England Fire Company Num 1, Tamaqua, $5,144
• North End Fire Company, Pine Grove, $1,355
• Rainbow Hose Company Num 1, Schuylkill Haven, $1,540
• Sacramento Community Fire Company, Sacramento, $5,622
• Volunteer Fire Company Num 1 of Tower City, Tower City, $1,296
• Weiser Wildland Firefighters Inc, Pine Grove, $10,000

Snyder

• Bannerville Volunteer Fire Co, McClure, $3,860
• Freeburg Volunteer Fire Co, Freeburg, $10,000
• Shamokin Dam Volunteer Fire Co No 1, Shamokin Dam, $2,000

Somerset

• Bakersville Volunteer Fire Company, Somerset, $1,250
• Meyersdale Volunteer Fire Dept, Meyersdale, $2,159
• Sipesville Volunteer Fire Company, Sipesville, $1,740
• Wellersburg District Volunteer Fire Company, Wellersburg, $2,500

Susquehanna

• Snake Creek Volunteer Fire Company, Hallstead, $7,500

Tioga

• Big Elm Volunteer Fire Co #1 Inc, Millerton, $7,250
• Westfield Firemens Relief Association, Westfield, $10,000

Union

• Mifflinburg Hose Company 1, Mifflinburg, $5,921

Venango

• Cherrytree Township Volunteer Fire Dept, Titusville, $2,045
• Pinegrove Township Fire Department, Oil City, $6,000

Warren

• Wrightsville Volunteer Fire Department Inc, Pittsfield, $5,500

Washington

• Hanover Volunteer Fire Department, Burgettstown, $3,390
• Lock 4 Volunteer Fire Co, North Charleroi, $6,000
• Lone Pine Volunteer Fire Department, Washington, $4,840

Wayne

• Hose Company Number 1, Honesdale, $10,000
• Northern Wayne Fire Co, Lakewood, $400
• Seelyville Fire Company, Honesdale, $10,000

Westmoreland

• Allegheny Township Volunteer Fire Company No 1, Leechburg, $1,530
• Good Will Hose Company Number 1, Latrobe, $5,020
• Hyde Park Volunteer Fire Department, Hyde Park, $2,500
• Markle Volunteer Fire Department, Apollo, $3,753
• Mt Pleasant Township Volunteer Fire Dept #3 Of Calumet, Mount Pleasant, $8,000
• Salem Township Volunteer Fire Dept Company Num 1, Slickville, $8,215
• Youngstown Volunteer Fire Department and Relief Association, Youngstown, $10,000

Wyoming

• Nicholson Fire Company No 1, Nicholson, $1,515
• Noxen Volunteer Fire Co, Noxen, $10,000

York

• Porters Community Fire Company, Spring Grove, $4,000
• Union Fire & Hose Co No 1 Of Dover, Dover, $2,000

The iconic wildfire prevention spokesperson, Smokey Bear, has been at the center of the longest running — and one of the most successful — public service advertising campaign in U.S. history.

His actual “birthday” is tomorrow, as he first began issuing his famous reminder, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires,” back on August 9, 1944, when the U.S.D.A. Forest Service and the national Ad Council agreed a fictional bear named Smokey would be the symbol for their joint effort promoting forest fire prevention.

Over the past seven and one-half decades, the campaign has received more than $1.5 billion in donated time and space from media companies.

Awareness levels also have remained high — with 96 percent of the U.S. adult population recognizing Smokey Bear; and 70 percent being able to recall Smokey’s tagline without any prompting.

Also, the average number of acres burned annually in wildfires has decreased from 22 million in 1944 to an average of 6.7 million today.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s wildfire programs, visit the DCNR website.