The La Plata Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded nearly $3,000 by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Forest Service to provide volunteers with more resources for fighting wildfires.

This year’s grant will allow stations throughout the state to buy new equipment, including wildland personal protective gear, Class A foam and upgraded radio communications equipment, according to the DNR website. The funds also will help supply departments with brush trucks, fire engines and other tools as well as replace small-diameter fire hoses.

La Plata Deputy Fire Chief Doug Hutchins said he came across the grant through an email and decided to apply.

“It was the first grant I submitted to,” he said. “We always seek additional funding, but to get something like that, it makes you feel proud to sit through and complete the paperwork.”

However, this is not the first grant the department has received. A few years ago, the La Plata station was awarded a grant that allowed for the replacement of their equipment for fighting wildfires, including truck pumps and manual pumps, Hutchins said.

Fire Chief Matt Gilroy said the station now will be using this money for new communication equipment.

“We’re going to be replacing our fire call pagers,” he said. “When they set our specific tone off, they help alert us of any fires.”

Hutchins explained that the station’s current pagers are becoming obsolete. Some volunteers also do not have pagers and must rely on their cellphones for fire calls.

“We pay for a third-party service that sends the alerts to their phones with call information,” he said. “But there’s no guarantee that you’ll get it on your cell every time because of no signal.”

By updating the technology, volunteers will have an easier time responding to calls. Hutchins said he plans to buy the pagers soon.

“I have to call a third party to purchase them,” he said. “There’s actually a promotion going on, so I can get a few more than expected.”