The Hoffman Fire Department and Rescue Squad plans to use a $6,100 state grant to upgrade radio and other equipment.

The department applied for the grant from the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund in 2009 and met criteria based on low funding and a declaration of need, according to Hoffman Fire Chief Ray Robbins.

“Some of it’s for upgrades, some of it’s for new equipment like a rescue jack,” Robbins said. A rescue jack is a heavy duty, manual lift used to move debris and heavy objects off the ground.

The grant funds must be matched dollar-for-dollar with money raised locally, according to the press release from the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

“We receive different grants because the combination of our departments,” Robbins said.

The Hoffman Fire Department and Rescue Squad’s district stretches from the Moore County line down to Fox Road and from the Scotland County line to the gamelands in Derby, Robbins said.

According to Lizz Wall, public information assistant with the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the check has been mailed to Robbins. Once the recipient decides what to do with the funds, they must be approved by the Department of Insurance.

The department received a $5,900 grant last September for equipment upgrades.

“The guidelines change sometimes,” Robbins said. “I’m sure if we qualify, we’ll try to get some (grants in 2010), but at this point in time, we don’t know the requirements for this year. They’re really particular.”

“Departments that provide rescue and EMS services to their communities play a vital part in the protection of our citizens,” Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said. “And they deserve the best equipment so they can do their jobs safely and efficiently.”

In the past 21 years, the Hoffman Fire and Rescue Squad has been the recipient of $71,718 in grants from the Volunteer Rescue/EMS Fund.

According to a press release from the Department of Insurance, since the program’s inception, the Department of Insurance has distributed more than $24 million to rescue and EMS squads across the state.

Staff writer Bryan Stewart can be reached at 997-3111 ext. 15 or by e-mail at bstewart@yourdailyjournal.com.