Six local fire companies have received a financial shot in the arm courtesy of the American Rescue Plan Act. The COVID-19 relief package totals $1.5 million, which will be divided among 69 Montgomery County fire departments.

The funds are intended to ease expenses related to equipment, training and staffing.

To determine eligibility, each department demonstrated financial hardships incurred due to the pandemic, including decreased revenue, loss in supplemental fundraising revenues, and challenges covering rent, mortgage payroll, and other operating costs.

“I want to thank you all for your volunteer service, and for your commitment during COVID — when we told folks to stay home, but you did not stay home,” Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. said. “You went into homes, you went into situations where you didn’t know what you didn’t know what you were going into.”

The recipients in our area are:

Flourtown

$23,135.44

Montgomery Township

$26,622.05

Oreland

$20,036.22

Upper Gwynedd

$22,748.03

Wissahickon

$19,261.42

Horsham

$23,135.44

According to The Reporter, nearly 97 percent of fire companies in Pennsylvania are considered “registered volunteer” or “mostly volunteer.”

For the full list of grant recipients and additional program information, you can click here.