The Sullivan Fire Department announced that they received a significant donation from the state of Illinois in order to help the city buy a new tanker. Sullivan Fire Chief Mike Piper announced that the Sullivan Fire Protection District received a $278,335 loan that had 0% interest through the fire truck Revolving Loan Program. The state had sent out over $9.3 million dollars to fire departments throughout the state that would have 0 or low-interest loans to emergency responders throughout the state. Piper says that without the revolving loan program they wouldn’t be able to buy the tanker.

The Sullivan Fire Department has to pay back the loans within 10 years and with departments under stress to properly equip and train firefighters, receiving this money will help pay for equipment they need. Piper says that this donation was so important because the Fire Department needed this tanker to help provide water to rural areas that they protect.

Over 30 different fire and ambulance departments received aid from the Illinois Finance Authority.