LACF funding helps Chancellor firefighters upgrade protective gear

The Chancellor Community Fire Department has been awarded a $3,550 grant from the Lennox Area Community Fund (LACF) - pictured above. The funding is part of LACF’s 2025 grant cycle, which supported eight local organizations this year. Other recipients include the Lennox Area Ambulance, Junior Achievement, Worthing Fire Department, Lincoln County 4-H, City of Worthing, Olde Towne Dinner Theatre, and the Lennox Historical Society.

According to the grant application submitted by Chancellor firefighter Jeremy Nettifee, the funding will be used to purchase new structural firefighting boots for 10 members of the department. Nettifee noted that the department’s current boots have reached the end of their service life due to age, improper fit, and significant wear—conditions that compromise both safety and performance during emergency responses.

The department has made steady progress updating its personal protective equipment (PPE) over the past three years, having secured funding for new structural pants, coats, and helmets for 10 firefighters. The addition of new boots for those same members will allow the department to fully standardize and modernize their gear, ensuring compliance with safety standards and enhancing operational readiness.

Nettifee added that once the department is fully up to date on its PPE, the long-term goal is to maintain a regular replacement schedule as equipment reaches expiration or becomes damaged. This approach will help avoid large, unexpected costs and allow the department to spread out expenses more sustainably over time.

Since 2004, the LACF has supported nonprofits in Lennox, Chancellor, and Worthing through donor contributions. Community members are encouraged to learn more or contribute at lennoxareacommunityfund.org.

Local nonprofits are reminded that the annual deadline for LACF grant applications is in early August. Next week’s edition will highlight additional grant recipients from this year’s funding cycle.