Five volunteer fire departments in FC receive $6,000 each from county council; two did not apply

By John Estridge

For the volunteer fire departments in Franklin County that applied for PSIC money, they were awarded $6,000 each.

But not every volunteer fire department in the county applied.

Franklin County Council members divided up the $30,000 available in the Public Safety Income Tax money the county receives.

The bulk of the money goes to the county’s dispatch center located in the Franklin County Security Center. And another $300,000 is distributed to the Franklin County EMS for its contract in servicing the county.

That left $60,000 to be divided among volunteer fire departments within the county that applied for the money.

FCC President Jeff Koch read off the list of departments applying. Included in the applicants are: Blooming Grove Volunteer Fire Department, New Trenton Volunteer Fire Department, Drewersburg Volunteer Fire Department, Metamora Volunteer Fire Department and the Eagle Fire Company of Oldenburg.

Not applying were Cedar Grove and Laurel volunteer fire departments.

With little discussion, members decided to divide the $30,000 equally among the five fire departments that did apply.