Post Messenger Recorder -

Compeer Financial's Fund for Rural America, the Farm Credit cooperative's giving program, has awarded 165 grants as part of their Emergency Response Equipment Program, totaling $448,544. Fifty-five Wisconsin departments received over $150,000 in grant funding.

Emergency Response Equipment Grants help to offset the cost of equipment that community emergency response departments need to carry out their important work throughout rural America. These 165 grants will directly impact the lives of 4,247 first responders and will touch the lives of over 631,360 rural residents across Compeer Financial's territory.

Since the program was established in 2018, the Fund has awarded Emergency Response Equipment Grants to 328 agencies for a total impact of over $898,500. The Fund intends to offer this grant again in August 2020.

"Emergency response departments play an invaluable role in the health and safety of rural communities," said Karen Schieler, Senior Corporate Giving Specialist. "The Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program allows Compeer to enrich these rural communities and potentially save lives by helping to provide essential equipment that first responders need to do their jobs."

The Monticello Fire Department received a grant for new turnout gear. The other Wisconsin organizations receiving support to purchase equipment from the Emergency Response Equipment Grant Program include: Adams County Fire District: a turnout gear dryer; Allenton Volunteer Fire Department: rescue ropes, harnesses, and a self-retracting lifeline; Almena Fire Department: grain bin rescue equipment; Black Earth Fire Department: a gear extractor industrial washing machine; Blair Preston Volunteer Fire Department: a portable water tank; Blanchardville Fire Department: a digital compatible portable radio and programming; Brandon-Fairwater Fire Department: combustible gas leak detectors; Brule Fire Department: a semi-automatic External Defibrillator and supplies; Burnett Fire Department: new turnout gear; Cascade Fire Department: Nomex fire hoods; City of Waterloo Fire and EMS: new fire hose; Cobb First Responders: new turnout gear; Cuba City Fire Department: synthetic corn for grain bin rescue training trailer; Dunn County Emergency Medical Responders: Automated External Defibrillators; Eagle Point Fire Department: Automated External Defibrillators; Eldorado Fire Department: new turnout gear; Fall River Fire Department: a portable water tank and hose; Farmington Volunteer Fire Department: helmet flashlights; Fountain City Fire Department: Automated External Defibrillators; Glenwood City Ambulance Service: trauma bags with supplies; Grand River Fire District: battery-powered extrication tools; Gratiot Fire Department: new hose nozzles; Hixton Volunteer Fire Department: a thermal imaging camera; Hollandale Volunteer Fire Department: new pagers and a positive pressure fan; Hudson Fire Department: handheld portable lights and a portable water tank; Iron Ridge Fire Department Inc .: first-aid training manikins; Kickapoo Valley Rescue Squad: handheld radios; La Farge Area Ambulance: portable radios; La Farge Fire Department: structural fire boots; Lebanon Fire Department: a heavy rescue rope set; Lund Fire Department: a Blitzfire monitor; Mason Area Ambulance Service: an Automated External Defibrillator and supplies; Mineral Point Fire Department: compressed air breathing cylinders; Monroe Vernon Fire Association: rescue throw ropes; Muscoda Fire Department: a grain bin rescue system; Osseo Rural Fire Department: high-angle rescue ropes and harness; Oxford Fire Department: new turnout gear; Pepin Emergency Ambulance Service: an Automated External Defibrillator training manikin; Poynette Dekorra Fire Department: rescue ropes, harnesses, and raising and lowering systems; Prairie du Sac Volunteer Fire Department: vehicle extrication stabilization equipment; Prescott Fire and EMS Association: a thermal imaging camera and multigas detector kits; Randolph Fire Department: a fire extinguisher training kit; Raymond Fire and Rescue Department: a new Automated External Defibrillator; Saint Cloud Fire Department: helmets, flashlights, and pagers; Sharon Fire and Rescue: a thermal imaging camera; Shelby Fire Department: single voltage detectors, thermal imaging cameras and single gas carbon monoxide detectors; Sheldon Fire Protection District: personal protective gear sets; Town of Burlington Fire Department: water rescue kits; Town of Washington Volunteer Fire Department - Hillpoint Fire: new turnout gear; Town of Winchester Fire Department: fully-equipped EMS bags; Village of Fredonia - Volunteer Fire Department: new supply hose; Village of Westfield Volunteer Fire Department: SCBAs; Waubeka Fire Department: inverter generators, protective covers, parallel cable kits, and a charging cord; Wilton Volunteer Fire Department: new fire boots.

About the Fund for Rural America

The Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America is the corporate giving program of Compeer Financial, structured to support Compeer Financial's mission to enrich agriculture and rural America. Compeer Financial's Board of Directors has dedicated one percent of annual net earnings to support the Fund's focus areas of education, youth engagement, rural development and community enrichment, agricultural advocacy and development, and cooperative initiatives. The Fund is managed by a Board of Trustees, made up of team members from Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and members of the Compeer Financial Board of Directors. More information about opportunities available through the Fund can be found at Compeer.com/giving-back.

About Compeer Financial

Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $21.3 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial exists to champion the hopes and dreams of rural America, while providing personalized service and expertise to clients and the agriculture industry. Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. Learn more about Compeer Financial by visiting https://compeer.com/.