Country Oaks Volunteer Fire Department Awarded $10,000 State Farm Grant

The Country Oaks Volunteer Fire Department has received a $10,000 grant through the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, providing funding for upgraded emergency communication equipment to improve firefighter safety and emergency response capabilities in rural Washington County.

The department was one of just 150 volunteer fire departments nationwide selected to receive funding through the program and one of only three recipients in Florida.

The initiative, a partnership between State Farm and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), awarded a combined $1.5 million to volunteer fire departments across the country to help purchase essential equipment, strengthen emergency response operations and improve firefighter safety.

According to a release issued by Country Oaks Volunteer Fire Department on Aug. 18, the funding has allowed the department to purchase four radios and pagers as part of its ongoing effort to equip volunteers with updated communication technology.

The equipment is expected to improve coordination among responding firefighters, allowing personnel to communicate critical information more effectively while responding to emergencies throughout the department’s coverage area.

Country Oaks serves approximately 25 square miles in a remote portion of Washington County, where emergency response can be complicated by narrow, overgrown and hilly sand roads.

Those conditions make reliable communication particularly important, especially during structure fires, brush fires and other emergencies requiring coordination between personnel operating in different locations.

Fire Chief Troy Cunningham emphasized the importance of the additional equipment and expressed appreciation for the organizations responsible for making the funding available.

“The radios and pagers obtained through this welcomed State Farm grant will increase response times and enable us to communicate pertinent information to command from multiple locations with accuracy,” Cunningham stated in the department’s release.

Cunningham also thanked State Farm and the National Volunteer Fire Council for their continued support of volunteer emergency responders.

Established in 1994 through the efforts of early residents in the area, Country Oaks Volunteer Fire Department became a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 1995.

For more than three decades, the department has provided fire protection and emergency services to residents in its rural service area, relying on volunteers who dedicate their time to protecting their neighbors and surrounding communities.

The department continues working to expand its volunteer membership and develop the next generation of emergency responders. According to the release, Country Oaks is preparing to welcome its first cadet into training.

Cunningham has consistently emphasized the importance of introducing younger generations to volunteer service.

“The youth of today are our first responders of tomorrow,” Cunningham said.

Beyond emergency response operations, the department maintains an active presence in the community through youth-oriented activities and outreach programs.

Recent initiatives have included a children’s camp, Halloween celebrations and summertime activities involving the department’s water tanker. These events are designed to strengthen relationships with local families while encouraging young residents to become involved in community service.

The State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program is now in its third year and focuses on addressing equipment and resource shortages affecting volunteer fire departments, particularly those serving rural and small-town communities.

Many volunteer departments operate with limited budgets while facing the same emergency response demands as larger, better-funded agencies. Financial assistance through programs such as this provides opportunities to obtain equipment that might otherwise be difficult to purchase.

In addition to the $10,000 grants, State Farm provided the first 2,000 program applicants with complimentary one-year memberships to the National Volunteer Fire Council.

The memberships provide access to training opportunities, educational materials and additional resources intended to support volunteer fire, emergency medical and rescue organizations.

For Country Oaks Volunteer Fire Department, the grant represents an investment in both firefighter safety and the department’s ability to serve residents across its rural Washington County coverage area.

Additional information about the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program is available at www.nvfc.org/statefarm.