Independence County fire protection is set for an upgrade after approval of a $100,000 state grant for the Cord Volunteer Fire Department.
The funding was announced in a March 10 letter from Becca Caldwell, director of the Rural Services Division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, to Independence County Judge Kevin Jeffery. The award is part of the Rural Services Block Grant Program for fiscal year 2026.
Jeffery described the successful application as a major step forward for local public safety.
“We are making the county fire department stronger,” Jeffery said. “This is a win for Independence County and the Cord Volunteer Fire Department.”
The grant application involved coordination between local and regional agencies. Jeffery credited the White River Planning and Development District, specifically Mitzi Hargan, for helping secure competitive state funding.
The Rural Services Block Grant Program is designed to help smaller Arkansas communities fund essential projects that might otherwise fall outside local budgets.
Image: Cord Fire Department Facebook
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