Hanover VFD awarded $10,000 grant
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By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
Hanover Volunteer Fire Department was one of only seven volunteer fire departments in the state to recently be awarded a $10,000 grant to purchase equipment to improve firefighter and community safety.
The grants are part of the 2026 Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, which is a partnership between State Farm and the National Volunteer Fire Council.
The Hanover VFD was proud to announce that it received the grant, stating that the “vital funds” will be used directly to “improve the maintenance and overall operational condition of our fire apparatus, ensuring our emergency response fleet remains safe, reliable and ready to answer the call,” according to Deputy Fire Chief Heather Babecki of the Hanover VFD.
“Fire trucks and emergency vehicles face rigorous wear and tear, and keeping them up to date with routine and specialized maintenance is crucial for the safety of both our volunteer firefighters and the community members we protect,” Babecki added.
Hanover was the only department in Coosa County to receive the grant. Other volunteer fire departments in Alabama that each received a $10,000 grant were Central VFD in Greenville, Empire Fire & Rescue Inc., Hipine-Pleasant VFD in Ashland, Killen Volunteer Fire Rescue, Louisville Fire and Rescue, and Saragossa Fire Department in Nauvoo.
“We are incredibly grateful to the NVFC and State Farm for their investment in our department,” said Deputy Chief Babecki. “This grant allows us to address essential maintenance needs for our apparatus, ensuring that when our community needs us most, our trucks are fully operational and safe to deploy.”
The NVFC and State Farm partnership highlights a shared dedication to supporting local volunteer fire departments, which often operate on limited budgets while providing critical life-saving services.
The program awarded $1.5 million total to 150 volunteer fire departments nationwide, with $10,000 grants awarded to VFDs in 43 states this year. The money can be used for equipment such as protective gear, emergency medical and rescue tools, communication devices, and more.
According to statistics from the NVFC, volunteer firefighters make up all or most of the personnel at 82% of fire departments in the United States.
“Volunteer firefighters are there for their communities no matter what the emergency, from structure and wildland fires to vehicle crashes and medical emergencies to natural disasters and hazardous materials incidents,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch in a press release. “Yet many local departments lack the funding to purchase the resources and gear they need, forcing them to rely on outdated or insufficient equipment. We thank State Farm for taking action to address this need by helping local departments secure critical equipment so they can do their jobs more safely and effectively.”
The program began in 2024, and since then a total of $4 million has been distributed to support volunteer fire departments with their equipment needs.
The announcement of this year’s grant recipients was made on August 18, celebrated as Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day.
In addition to the 150 grants, State Farm provided complimentary NVFC memberships to the first 2,000 eligible applicants to provide more responders with access to an array of benefits, including free training, support services and more. The NVFC is the leading national nonprofit association serving the volunteer fire, emergency medical and rescue services.
