New York, Aug. 20 -- State Farm(R) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have teamed up for the second year to support local volunteer fire departments with funding to secure needed equipment to help keep their responders safe and protect their communities. Through this year's Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, 150 departments in 44 states received a $10,000 grant, including eight departments in New York.

The announcement was made on August 18, a date many celebrate as Volunteer Firefighters Recognition Day. Volunteer firefighters make up 65% of the U.S. fire service, and communities across the country rely on volunteers to respond to emergencies of all kinds - from structure and wildland fires, to vehicle crashes and med...