GORHAM – The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) joined members from the Village of Gorham Wednesday to break ground on their new fire station. The department received $350,000 dollars through the OSFM’s Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant program.

“I am excited to see the dollars we have provided departments such as Gorham in action,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Michele Pankow. “Funding through programs such as this grant now allows departments the opportunity to construct or rebuild stations—ultimately helping to keep their communities and firefighters safer.”

“We cannot thank the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal enough for providing the opportunity and funding to make a new fire house in Gorham a reality,” said Village of Gorham Fire Chief Ron Guetersloh. “This grant is truly a lifeline for our department. Without it, this project would not have been possible. For me as Chief, and for every one of our members, it means the world to know we will have a safe, secure place to store our equipment—and a station we can all train in and be proud to call home.”

The Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program recipients were selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process that was opened to fire departments, fire protection districts, and township fire departments. The program was established to provide grants of up to $350,000 for the construction or rehabilitation of fire stations across the state.

For more information about our programs, visit our website.