&dquo;Fire and rescue organizations protect our communities large and small across North Carolina, but sometimes their budgets don&squo;t grow with their responsibilities,&dquo; Commissioner Goodwin said. &dquo;Our emergency service personnel should be supported with the best equipment and supplies needed to do their jobs correctly and safely, and I know the Sunny View Fire and Rescue Department will use this money to serve their community even better.&dquo;

The Sunny View Fire and Rescue Department has received a total of $85,029 from the Volunteer Fire Department Fund since the program began. The General Assembly created the Volunteer Fire Department Fund in 1988 to help volunteer units raise money for equipment and supplies. The grant funds must be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to an approved amount, by monies raised locally to purchase necessary equipment. Since the program&squo;s inception, the Department of Insurance has distributed more than $65 million to volunter fire departments across the state.