RALEIGH — Three fire departments from Robeson County have been awarded a total of about $37,000 in state grants through the 2009 Volunteer Fire Department Fund from the State of North Carolina.

The Fairmont Rural Fire Department was awarded an $18,000.84 grant, the Maxton Southeastern Rural Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a $10,596.48 grant, and the Sterlings Township Volunteer Fire Department was awarded a $8,264.44 grant.

The awards were by Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Wayne Goodwin.

The money will be used by the departments to purchase equipment that must be approved by the Department of Insurance Office of State Fire Marshal.

The checks will be mailed soon to Fairmont Fire Chief Terry Gibson, Maxton Fire Chief Charles Bethea, and Sterlings Township Fire Chief Gene Walters.

The Fairmont Rural Fire Department has received a total of $32,798.23 from the Volunteer Fire Department Fund in the past 22 years since the program began; Maxton’s fire department has received $31,919.08 from the fund; Sterlings Township’s fire department has received $53,952.55 from the fund.

The General Assembly created the Volunteer Fire Department Fund in 1988 to help volunteer units raise money for equipment and supplies. The money must be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to an approved amount, by funds raised locally to purchase necessary equipment.

Since the program’s inception, the Department of Insurance has distributed more than $65 million to volunteer fire departments across the state.