Five fire departments in Butler County are receiving state grant money for varying purposes.

State Rep. Tedd Nesbit announced the grant recipients Tuesday. They include Harrisville, Marion Township, Portersville-Muddy Creek, Unionville and West Sunbury volunteer fire departments.

The funding can be used to renovate or build a fire or ambulance company facility, repair or buy new equipment, train and reduce existing debt, among other things.

Harrisville Volunteer Fire Department will use its grant to help pay for a new radio system, an upgrade that has been in the works for the past two years, according to Chief Brian Grossman.

“That's what that whole grant this year is going toward,” Grossman said.

The fire departments each paid a share toward the new radio system, which covered the cost of the equipment, but the county later made arrangements to pay 75 percent of those costs.

Grossman said there will still be a fee leftover, even after the grant, but the department has saved enough money to cover the remainder, which is about $4,000.

Grossman said the grant provides his department with a much needed financial cushion.

“That was nice. That was a big relief for us,” he said.

Joe Fitzgerald, chief of the Marion Township Volunteer Fire Department, said his company had already made arrangements for the new radio system. He said recent storms brought new needs.

Fitzgerald said the department bought two emergency generators and three portable generators. The emergency generators are for the truck room and one for the social hall.

“Our social hall is our designated emergency shelter for the township,” Fitzgerald said.

He said the three portable generators are meant for serving residents, many of whom are senior citizens. He said some rely on electricity to power machines that help them survive, like oxygen systems.

Fitzgerald said he does not want to run into the same problems the company had in the past year. He said he wants to be better prepared.

“The last two times we had any major storms, we were out of electricity for five days,” Fitzgerald said. “We couldn't even open the place up. We had no heat, no nothing.”

West Sunbury and Portersville Muddy Creek departments plan to upgrade equipment.

“We got a couple of things listed on the wish-list,” said Chief Tim Saunders. “We're just updating and getting some new equipment for people.”

Matt Wilson, chief at West Sunbury, said in addition to gear, firefighters will get some new tools.

He said the department plans to buy a new thermal imaging camera, which lets firefighters see potential hot spots, and a new entry tool. The entry tool lets firefighters help residents get back in their homes in the event they lock themselves out.

“It doesn't work if you lock yourself out of your car, though,” Wilson said. “You'll have a big hole in the side of your car.”

A representative from the Unionville Fire Department could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Five Butler County fire departments received state grant funding, including:- Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company, $12,172- Marion Township, $12,337- Portersville Muddy Creek Township Volunteer EMS, $7,155- Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, $13,491- West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department, $13,162