Several area volunteer fire departments have received funds from the Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District to help pay for equipment. The money represents allocations from the state General Improvement Fund.
The improvement fund consists of money left over from state agency budgets and interest earned in state accounts and varies from year to year. The Legislature in 1997 obtained control of about half of available GIF monies to allocate to local projects in their legislative districts.
The allocations distributed earlier this week included:
• Watson Chapel Volunteer Fire Department, $5,000, for equipment and “turnout gear”;
• Wright-Pastoria Volunteer Fire Department, $2,000, to pay for improvements to a fire tanker, including a pump; and
• Highway 15 Volunteer Fire Department, $2,000, for a tool crib and repair of fire trucks.