North Florida fire departments receives state grant

More than $8.2 million in grants distributed among 15 municipalities in North Florida aimed at strengthening firefighter safety, health and infrastructure

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — Fire departments across North Florida are getting a major boost as Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia announced more than $8.2 million in grants on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening firefighter safety, mental health, cancer diagnoses and public safety infrastructure.

Speaking from Fire Station 20 in Green Cove Springs, Ingoglia said the funding represents “a promise to protect those who protect us.”

“We’re asking you to put yourself in harm’s way — not just your harm, but the people you’re going to rescue,” Ingoglia said, underscoring the risks first responders face daily.

The money comes through three statewide initiatives (full breakdown at the bottom of this article):

Firefighter Assistance Program – $877,897

Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Program – $95,965

Member Projects – $7.4 million

Ingoglia said the grants address multiple needs — from new safety equipment and modern facilities to cancer prevention and mental health support for first responders.

The largest single grant went to the City of St. Augustine Fire Department, receiving $2.5 million to help fund a new fire station on Anastasia Boulevard.

The project will replace the city’s 1950s-era station located about a mile away, which no longer meets modern safety standards or space needs.

“Moving the fire station is going to enhance our capabilities in that area,” said St. Augustine Fire Chief Carlos Aviles. “We’ll have more room with a better-designed fire station — we can gear it toward safety, health, and improving response times.”

Aviles said the project will also facilitate roadway improvements at the long-problematic Anastasia Boulevard intersection, with groundbreaking expected in early 2027.

Ingoglia also addressed the “silent killers” first responders face — cancers linked to chemical exposure and the toll of trauma.

Grant Breakdown

Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Program

City of Palm Coast – $26,000

Fernandina Beach Fire Department – $31,341

Alachua County Fire Rescue – $26,624

City of Chiefland – $12,000
Total: $95,965

Firefighter Assistance Program

Baker County Fire Rescue – $54,625

Chiefland Fire Rescue – $51,764

Columbia County – $40,861

Dixie County Fire Rescue – $424,450

City of Fanning Springs – $111,300

Town of Lacrosse – $62,147

Live Oak Fire Department – $57,750

Madison County Volunteer Fire Department – $75,000
Total: $877,897

Clay County Public Safety Complex – $2 million

Crescent City Fire/EMS Station Project – $2 million

St. Augustine Fire Station (Anastasia Blvd) – $2.5 million

Baker County Pumper Tanker Fire Apparatus – $900,000
Total: $7.4 million

“First responders hear and see things they can’t undo,” he said. “We have to make sure they have the mental health resources and support they need.”

He emphasized that fire and police funding should never be among the first to face cuts when budgets get tight, adding that the state will continue prioritizing first responders as Florida’s population grows.

Ingoglia said the funding represents a long-term commitment to both public safety and the people behind it.

“Protecting Florida means protecting the men and women who run toward danger when everyone else runs away,” Ingoglia said.