OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen A state grant application for fire department upgrades has been submitted by the Village of Brocton.

BROCTON — The Brocton Fire Department has been alarmingly busy so far this year. As of the latest Village Board meeting on Feb. 18, the department has responded to 73 calls in 2026 — well over a call per day.

In the month of January, the department responded to 56 calls, including 29 Emergency Medical Services calls, seven structure fires and two motor vehicle accidents, along with 14 calls for mutual aid. Village Trustee Brandy Smith, a member of the department, noted that several motor vehicle accidents that have occurred so far this year have been significant crashes.

Responding to more than a call a day is not new to Brocton’s volunteer department. The department responded to a total of 431 calls in 2025.

The Village Board approved Robert Mead-Colegrove as a new member of the Brocton Fire Department. Emergency Medical Technician Dave Hazelton noted that Mead-Colegrove is also trained as an EMT.

To address the department’s facilities, the Village has submitted a grant application from the Volunteer Fire Infrastructure and Response Equipment Grant Program through the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. The state-funded grant program provides $25 million to “strengthen volunteer fire departments and districts statewide.”

Eligible applicants can apply for up to $1 million for the construction, renovation, or purchase costs for critical facilities to support fire department operations, such as fire halls and training facilities. The Brocton Fire Hall is in dire need of repairs following the collapse of a part of the ceiling in the building earlier this winter.

In an effort to increase its chances of receiving a grant, the Village Board recently passed a resolution pledging up to $100,000 for the necessary upgrades to the Brocton Fire Hall, in the event that a state grant is received. The contribution is only binding contingent upon receiving a grant.

The next meeting of the Brocton Village Board is Wednesday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at the Village Hall.