ADAIR COUNTY, MO. -- A proposal suggested by several major fire service organizations could mean rural companies would pay a larger match for their grants.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant provides fire departments with the money necessary to operate.

Rural departments such as Novinger Northern use AFG to purchase safer gear, a new fire truck, and even better insurance.

Some departments say they may not exist if the matching portion of the grant increases.

“These departments can have a real problem, will they go completely under?  I don't know, there's a few hardcore in each department that are going to do everything they can to make it exist.  But is their response going to be practical for the situation they run into?  I really question that,” said Adair County Rural Fire District #1 Fire Chief John Wise.

For populations of 20,000 and fewer the match is 5%.  The proposal is to increase that to 15%.  Populations of 20,000 to 50,000 would go from 10% to 15%.  And for the largest populations, they would see a decline from 20% to 15%. 

Right now the AFG has decided to keep the matching percentage where it is.