ALTUS—Rural fire departments are faced with a budget crunch due to the increase in fires throughout Oklahoma.

According to Associated Press reports, rural fire departments have received only about one-fourth of their annual grant money from the state, with the promise of the rest to come in June.

About 875 rural fire departments qualify for the operational grants, which are funded through the Legislature and handed out by the agriculture department. Each department received about $600. The rest of the funds, which is about $2,000, are to be paid at the end of the fiscal year in June.

Eldorado volunteer Fire Chief, Jerry Houston said his department receives a portion of the grant in December. Houston says they have been lucky not to see an increase in fires in their area, but they are usually over budget because of fire costs.

“Our funds are always low,” Houston said. “We are owned and operated by the city, but we don’t receive a lot of money. We’re always over budget, but this is a small community and there are not a lot of funds.”

The Eldorado Fire Department sends out mutual aid to the surrounding areas, which include: Altus, Elmer, Olustee, Gould, Duke, Martha and others. The fire department receives $2 from each of the residents’ water bills, which helps with department expenses. They also receive grants when they become available. Houston said he hopes to receive more grants to help with the increase in costs.

“Rep. Braddock and some others are trying to pass some bills through the House to get us more money,” Houston said. “Each year they are budgeted to give so much throughout the rural areas.”

According to AP reports, state Finance Director Claudia San Pedro said she and other officials are making a plan with the state Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to get funds to the fire departments.

“We’ve got enough money in our coffers to provide them the cash,” San Pedro told Tthe Associated Press.

San Pedro hopes to have the money to the Agriculture Department by the end of this week. The checks could be mailed as soon as the middle of January, a state finance spokesman told an Associated Press reporter.

“Hopefully there are some grants that are out there,” Houston said. “Every little bit helps.”