CHEMTREC® and Partners Award $60,000 in Grants to Local Volunteer Fire Departments to Enhance Hazmat Incident Preparedness and Response

December 17, 2024

CHEMTREC® and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 CHEMTREC Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness (HELP) Award. Six volunteer fire departments will each receive $10,000 to obtain critical training, equipment, and resources to better prepare for and respond to hazardous materials emergencies.

The grants are made possible thanks to CHEMTREC, the American Chemistry Council, Dow, and LyondellBasell and are awarded in partnership with the NVFC.

“Any community – including small and rural communities – is at risk for a hazmat incident, whether through a pipeline, roadway, railroad, plant, or other source,” said Steve Hirsch, chair of the NVFC. “Yet volunteer fire and emergency service agencies in small communities often struggle to find the funding for needed equipment and training to safely, effectively, and efficiently respond to these incidents. We are proud to team up with CHEMTREC and its partners since 2019 to provide more departments with the tools, resources, and training they need to be best prepared to respond.”

The 2024 recipients are as follows:

  • Etowah (TN) Rescue Squad & Rural Fire Department, which will use the grant to provide necessary equipment, protective gear, and training to execute a safer and more efficient response to hazmat incidents.
  • Glen Gardner (NJ) Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, which will use the grant to purchase equipment for their recently acquired hazmat supply trailer to be able to provide a broader range of containment for hazmat incidents than their current equipment allows.
  • Pleasant Hope (MO) Fire Protection District, which will use the grant to enhance the department’s ability to respond to hazmat incidents through equipment upgrades, training enhancement, public education, and upgraded protective gear.
  • Robstown (TX) Volunteer Fire Department, which will use the grant to better their hazmat incident preparedness through training and purchasing proper protective gear.
  • Sheridan (MI) Fire Department, which will use the grant to purchase equipment and training to make their responders better prepared for hazmat initiatives and help support regional hazmat readiness initiatives.
  • Town of Superior (WI) Volunteer Fire Department, which will use the grant to enhance hazmat response and alerting capabilities through the purchase of a drone with the latest thermal imaging and recognition technology along with related training.

To apply, departments had to be more than 50 percent volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, have an annual budget of less than $250,000, and the person applying or chief of the department must be a member of the NVFC. Grant funds must be used to increase the department’s hazmat response capabilities.

“The world increasingly runs on dangerous goods and in communities small and large, first responders must be trained and equipped to deal with the realities of hazardous materials,” said Andrew H. LaVanway, chief executive of CHEMTREC. “We congratulate all of the 2025 HELP Award winners and look forward to seeing how they put the resources to work to make themselves and their communities safer and more resilient.”

Learn more about the HELP Award at www.chemtrec.com/helpaward.

About CHEMTREC®
CHEMTREC® is the leading source of 24/7 call center support and information during hazardous materials incidents. CHEMTREC is the single point of contact that connects emergency responders with everyone involved – manufacturers, shippers, consignees, carriers, and government agencies. CHEMTREC is equipped to handle any situation and any class of hazardous material.

CHEMTREC and its team of trained, experienced Emergency Services Specialists provide emergency responders with the information they need to safely and effectively manage shipping incidents, including guidebooks, training opportunities, and industry resources. CHEMTREC’s service is complimentary for emergency responders.

About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical advocacy, resources, programs, and education for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.