Six volunteer fire departments in Oklahoma, including Okeene in Blaine County, were among 150 nationwide recipients of a $10,000 grant through the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program. The program, in collaboration with the National Volunteer Fire Council, helps local fire departments purchase equipment to enhance responder safety and better protect their communities.
Eighty-two percent of U.S. fire departments – also including Okeene- are comprised entirely or mostly of volunteer firefighters. Many of these departments operate on limited budgets that leave them struggling to fund equipment that enables them to more effectively and safely do their jobs. State Farm and the NVFC teamed up to provide $1.5 million to local fire departments in 2026. Since the program began, a total of $4 million has been distributed to support volunteer fire departments with their equipment needs.
In Oklahoma, the following volunteer fire departments will receive grants this year:
• Cloud Chief Fire Department (Cordell)
• Gooseneck Bend Fire Protection District (Muskogee)
• Okeene Fire Department
• Rock Township (Perry)
•Sayre Fire Department
• Strother Fire Department (Seminole)
The announcement of the 2026 recipients was made on August 18, a date many celebrate as Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day. Grants will be used to purchase a wide variety of department necessities, including personal protective equipment, EMS and rescue tools, communication devices and much more.
In addition to the 150 grants, State Farm provided complimentary NVFC memberships to the first 2,000 eligible applicants to provide more responders with access to an array of benefits, including free training, support services and more. The NVFC is the leading national nonprofit association serving the volunteer fire, emergency medical, and rescue services.
Learn more about the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, including the full list of departments receiving the grants, on the NVFC website at www.nvfc.org/statefarm.