Across Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, 146 volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments received an Emergency First Responder Grant of up to $7,500 from Compeer Financial. Recipients include those from the Little Falls Fire Department (Minnesota).
SUN PRAIRIE, Wis., July 8, 2026 – To ensure volunteer emergency response departments are equipped with technology and tools to effectively respond to rural emergencies, Compeer Financial awarded 146 departments in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin grants totaling $1,015,198. Forty-five departments are first-time recipients. The Emergency First Responder Grants provide rural first responders with critical equipment that improves lifesaving capabilities, protects volunteer responders, strengthens regional emergency preparedness, and enhances the safety and resilience of the communities they serve.
Responding to rural crises is becoming increasingly difficult, as departments are faced with limited funding, larger coverage areas, population demographic challenges and dated communication infrastructure. As a rural-based business, Compeer Financial understands the strain volunteer emergency response departments are under.
“As rural residents ourselves, we want to ensure our first responders are prepared to answer emergency calls. The Emergency First Responder Grants support our vision of creating a world where agriculture and rural communities are dynamic, collaborative and thriving. We’re proud to award these grants that provide first responders with important equipment, personal protective gear and technology and enhance their ability to respond to crisis situations,” said Karen Schieler, manager of Compeer Giving at Compeer Financial.
Departments will use this year’s grants to support the following capabilities:
- Improve response times and emergency care. In rural areas where transport times are often longer, having lifesaving equipment in the hands of first responders can mean earlier intervention and better patient outcomes. Many departments are using grant funds for automated external defibrillators (AEDs), cardiac monitors, radios, pagers and advanced emergency medical services (EMS) equipment.
- Strengthen firefighter and responder safety. Due to funding constraints, emergency response departments often have to choose between upgrading tools and equipment or updating safety gear. A significant portion of grant requests focus on replacing outdated turnout gear, helmets, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment, boots, radios and other protective equipment.
- Expand local rescue capabilities and reduce reliance on distant resources. In many rural communities, the nearest specialized rescue team may be 30-40 minutes away. Several departments are investing in specialized rescue equipment for grain bin rescues, vehicle extrications, confined-space incidents and technical rescues to help ensure life-saving capabilities are available closer to home when every minute matters.
Grants help address the unique needs of rural emergency response departments, including:
- Offset rising equipment costs. Many volunteer and small paid-on-call departments operate on very limited budgets. Grant funding often serves as the catalyst that allows departments to begin critical replacement projects that otherwise would be delayed for years.
- Enable regional emergency response networks. The benefits extend beyond the individual department. Equipment purchased through these grants is often used during mutual aid responses and shared across neighboring jurisdictions to increase interoperability and help multiple communities respond more effectively to large incidents.
- Support the vitality of rural and agricultural communities. Many funded projects directly address risks unique to rural America – grain bin rescues, farm accidents, wildland fires, water supply challenges and long EMS response distances. By strengthening emergency response capacity, the grants help protect farmers, agricultural workers, businesses, residents and the local economies that depend on them.
Since beginning the Emergency Response Grants in 2018, Compeer Giving has provided more than $5.75 million in grants to equip volunteer first responders with the equipment and tools needed to aid rural residents across Compeer’s 144-county territory. The Emergency First Responder Grants account for both the needs of the department to service the community and the safety needs of the volunteer first responders.
- Essential Response Equipment: This encompasses equipment needed to effectively respond to incidents. Examples of equipment include hand and extraction tools, fire suppression tools, fire response and medical equipment.
- Responder Life-Safety Need: This includes equipment and resources needed to protect and support first responders. Examples include communication equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Compeer Giving intends to offer the Emergency First Responder Grants again in 2027.
There were 48 departments from both Illinois and Wisconsin and 50 departments from Minnesota that received an Emergency First Responder Grant of up to $7,500 this year. The full listing is below.
Illinois:
- Alexis – North Henderson Ambulance Service: Cardiac monitor / defibrillator
- Alexis Fire Protection District: Portable radios with attached microphones
- Annawan Alba Fire Protection District: Turnout gear
- AOW Ambulance Service, Inc., NFP: Radios with microphones
- Aroma Fire Protection District: Banana boat, clutch rope rescue tools, 4: 1 system, Sked stretcher with vertical lift and drag capabilities
- Beecher Fire Protection District: Portable radio
- Boone County Fire Protection District 2: Thermal imaging cameras
- Bureau Fire Protection District: TurboDraft Fire Eductor, suction elbow swivel, supply line holders, hose
- Cambridge Fire Protection District: Video intubation (laryngoscopy) system
- Carlock Fire Protection District: Communication headset
- Chatsworth Fire Protection District: Rescue rotary saw, diamond blade, thermal camera
- Cherry Fire Protection District: Nozzles, pagers
- City of Griggsville Fire Department: Extrication equipment
- Dahinda Fire Station 2-Williamsfield Fire Protection District: AED, quickdraw suction, folding backboard, BP monitor, pulse ox SPO2 with SPCO monitoring
- Deer Creek Fire Protection District: Turnout coats, bunker pants, gloves, helmets
- Depue Fire Department: Water flow device
- Dunlap Community Fire Protection District: Gas monitors
- East Pike Fire Protection District: Sections of life safety rope with bag, snatch blocks, stokes basket, harnesses, rappel duffle bags, rappel auto stop devices
- Eastern Marshall County EMS: Manual stair chair
- Easton Rural Fire Protection District: Particulate blocking hoods, one set of bunker gear, LED lights
- Emmet Chalmers Fire Protection District/Emmet Chalmers Firefighters Association: Boots
- Erie Fire Protection District: Set of airbags
- Flanagan-Graymont Fire Department: Battery-powered RAM auto extrication tool
- Forrest Strawn Wing Fire Protection District: Vehicle stabilization struts
- Germantown Hills Fire Protection District: Battery-powered positive pressure ventilation fan
- Gridley Fire: Gas monitors, mobile radio, laptop or tablets
- Henry Fire Protection District: SCBA bottles
- Hinckley Community Fire Protection District: Multi-gas detection meters
- Joy Community Fire Protection District: Helmets
- Lacon-Sparland Fire Protection District: Grain bin rescue equipment and associated rescue gear
- Lee Community Fire Protection District: Nozzles
- Leland Community Fire Protection District: Fire nozzle set ups
- LeRoy Emergency Ambulance Service, Inc.: Pagers
- Long Point Fire Department: Hose, nozzles, thermal imaging cameras
- Malta Fire Department: Hoods, gloves
- Maple Park & Countryside Fire Protection District: Radios
- Minonk Fire Protection District: Turnout coats, turnout pants, leather structural fire boots
- Morrison Fire Department: Thermal imaging camera, hand tools
- Mount Carroll Fire Department: Battery powered extrication tools
- Payson Fall-Creek Fire Protection District: Extrication tools including cutter, spreader, batteries, charger
- Rushville Fire Department: AEDs, adult and child electrode pads
- Sheridan Community Fire Protection District: Portable deluge monitor
- Spring Creek Fire Protection District: Structural firefighting protective gear
- Tonica Volunteer Fire Department: Heavy rescue telescoping ram
- Tremont 702 Rescue Squad: Radio, rain jackets
- Tri-Township Fire Protection District: Rescue chain packages, rescue litter, lifting bridle, patient tie-in kit, clutch descender
- Verona-Kinsman Fire Department: Nozzles
- West Peoria Fire Department: Rescue stabilization equipment
Minnesota:
- Aitkin Fire Department: Structural firefighting turnout gear
- Alden Fire Department: Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) equipment
- Almelund Fire and Rescue: Ground monitor
- City of Okabena Fire Department: Structural firefighting turnout gear
- Comfrey Fire and Rescue: Turnout gear
- Conger Fire Department: Scene lights, thermal imager
- Cotton Volunteer Fire Department: PPE, thermal imaging camera
- Currie Fire Department: Hose, nozzles
- Dalbo Fire Department: Pagers
- Darfur Fire Department: AEDs
- Ellsworth Volunteer Fire & Rescue: Turnout gear, nozzles
- Elysian Fire Department: Turnout gear
- Emily Fire and Rescue Department: Radios
- Finlayson Fire & Rescue: Turn-out gear
- Foley Fire Department: Positive Pressure Ventilation (PPV) fan
- Fountain Fire Department: Turnout gear
- Freeport Fire Department: Firefighter helmets
- Fulda Community Ambulance Association: Radios
- Fulda Fire Department: Radios
- Granada EMS 1st Responders: Portable suction/supplies, backboard/straps, splints/supplies, thermometers/BP/stethoscopes, diabetic meters, STB kits/OB kit, i-gels, updated supplies, portable BP machine
- Greenway Fire Rescue & EMS Department: Thermal imaging cameras
- Harmony Fire Department: Fire hose, nozzles, rescue equipment, traffic signage
- Hill City Fire Department: AEDs
- Industrial Volunteer Fire Department: Helmet mounted flashlights, SCBA masks, helmets, pike poles, fire hoses
- Jackson Fire Department: Nozzles
- Kiester Fire Department: Scene lights, Super Vac fan
- Lakefield Fire Department: Hose
- Little Falls Fire Department: Thermal imaging cameras, gated wyes
- Madison Lake Fire Department: AEDs
- McGregor Area First Responders Inc: AEDs
- Mora Area Fire Department: SCBA masks
- Morristown Fire Department: Radios
- New Auburn Fire & Rescue: Thermal imaging cameras
- Nicollet Fire Department: Portable ground monitor, nozzles with foam capabilities
- Ormsby Fire Department: SCBA air tanks
- Pickwick Fire and Rescue: Positive pressure ventilation fan package
- Pierz Fire Department: SCBA
- Pine Island Fire Department: Turbo draft firefighting unit, 6″ ice strainer
- Princeton Fire Department: Thermal imaging camera
- Remer Volunteer Fire Department: Ventilation fan
- Rush City Fire Department: Automatic stabilization tools, portable radio
- Sleepy Eye Ambulance: Radios
- Springfield Volunteer Fire Department: Thermal imaging equipment
- St. Joseph Fire Department: PPF
- St. Martin Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department: Turnout gear
- Truman Fire & Rescue: Fire hose, nozzles
- Wabasha Ambulance: Video laryngoscopes
- Wabasha Fire Department: Thermal image camera
- Winnebago Fire Department: Chain saw, conversion kit for chain saw, 5-piece battery tool kit (drill sawzall, light, impact, circular saw), 14-inch cut-off saw, diamond blade, 5 gas monitor
- Winthrop Ambulance: LUCAS machine
Wisconsin:
- Ada Fire Department: Extrication gloves, hydraulic ram and extension
- Arena Fire Department: SCBA packs, cylinders
- Barneveld Area Rescue Squad: Turnout safety helmets
- Barron Maple Grove Fire Department: Firefighter helmets
- Belleville Fire Department: Portable AEDs
- Brule Fire & EMS: Mobile Multi Band Public safety radio
- Cambria Community Fire Department: Fire hose
- Cambridge Volunteer Fire Department: Radios
- Chicog Volunteer Fire Department: Turnout gear
- City of Waterloo Fire & EMS: Structural firefighting boots
- Cobb-Eden Volunteer Fire Department: Firefighter coats, pants, helmets
- Cuba City Fire Department: AEDs, pagers
- Darien Fire/EMS/Darien Crossed Irons Firefighters Association: Extrication lift air bags
- Dunn County Emergency Medical Responders: LUCAS chest compression system
- Eagle Point Volunteer Fire Department: Turnout gear
- Eleva Fire Department: Radios
- Elmwood Area Ambulance Service: Portable radios
- Fall River Fire Department: Mobile radio, hose
- Glen Haven Volunteer Fire Department: Personal protective gear
- Glenwood City Ambulance: Mobile radios
- Greenbush Fire Department: Pagers, portable radio holsters
- Johnson Creek Fire & EMS Department: Turnout gear
- Kickapoo Valley Rescue Squad: Radios
- Montfort Fire Department: AEDs
- Monticello Fire and Rescue: Extrication tools
- Mount Calvary Ambulance Service: Pagers
- Muscoda EMS: Radios
- Neosho Fire Department: Hose, nozzles
- Osceola Fire & Rescue: Turnout gear
- Osseo Rural Fire Department: SCBA equipment
- Plain EMS: Advanced emergency medical technician equipment, turnout gear
- Prairie du Chien Fire Department: Battery-powered JAWS of life cutting tool
- Randolph Ambulance Association: Radios
- Random Lake Fire Department: Fire turnout gear
- Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department Inc.: Structural firefighting boots
- Rio Fire Department: PPE
- Seneca Volunteer Fire Department: Strut stabilization kit
- Sharon Fire & Rescue / Fighting Forty Association: Hose
- South Wayne Fire Department: Portable radios
- Town & Village of Eden Fire Department: Radios
- Town of Randall Fire Department: Portable radio package
- Town of Turtle Fire Department: Turnout gear
- Township Fire Dept.-Pleasant Valley: Battery-operated extrication equipment
- Viroqua Fire Department: Battery-operated extrication tool combination cutter and spreaders
- Washburn Fire Department: Turnout gear
- Weyerhaeuser Fire District: Turnout gear
- Whitehall Fire Department: Fire hose, nozzles
- Wyocena Fire Department: AED machines, pagers
About Compeer Giving
Compeer Giving is Compeer Financial’s robust corporate giving program, focused on philanthropic support for agriculture and rural communities across the upper Midwest. Since 2018, Compeer has distributed nearly $40 million – enhancing agriculture education and workforce, inspiring youth, empowering farmers, nurturing rural communities and equipping rural first responders. The Compeer Giving Board of Trustees is committed to creating a positive impact and supporting the vision for creating a world where agriculture and rural communities are dynamic, collaborative and thriving. More information about Compeer Giving 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 $36.1 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’s patronage program.
