SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Office of the State Fire Marshal is offering fire departments and ambulance services across the state a chance to purchase small equipment and tools through grant money.

The OSFM is offering $4 million to help eligible agencies buy equipment, and it is now accepting applications for this money.

“The OSFM continues to hear the needs of departments across the state, and I am proud to be able to increase funding to $4 million dollars for our small equipment grant program for this fiscal year,” Illinois State Fire Marshal James A. Rivera said in a statement. “Our firefighters in Illinois deserve to have the best equipment that helps keep them safe, which in turn allows them to help residents in their time of need. The OSFM continues our dedication to helping provide this much needed funding to departments across the state.”

The money is coming from the Small Equipment Grant Program, which was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 to eligible departments. 64 departments and EMS providers received a total of $1.5 million in March thanks to this program.

Most Illinois fire departments and nonprofit ambulance providers are eligible to apply. All applicants are required to have participated in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for a minimum of two years prior to applying. For this round of funding, the OSFM will require departments to have participated from September of 2021 through August of 2023.

All interested fire departments and EMS providers should send an application to the OSFM electronically or via the mail, with a postmark of no later than Dec. 15.

More information can be found on the OSFM website.