"Firefighters in communities throughout Illinois risk their lives and run toward danger when others run away. We owe it to them to make sure they have the best equipment and training," said U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who worked with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin to secure the funding.

There are 15 warehouses or what are referred to as “caches” across the nation. The Colorado Cache in Lakewood normally supplies to five states in the Rocky Mountain region but fires burning in the Southwest are creating a strain on inventory.

Now, another grant is coming in to replace an ambulance at the Lead Mines Rescue Squad.

The county said the issue with financing new ambulances isn't a lack of funding or support.

The $2.3 million facility offers numerous improvements from the previous facility, including a third bay with larger bay doors, equipment storage in a contained area with fresh air intake, greater separation between the apparatus bay and the kitchen and living quarters, a more secured entryway into the station with security cameras and a larger parking and turnaround area for fire trucks. Funding for the building was made possible thanks to the renewal of a 4.85 mill and a 4 mill levy.

The project cost more than $670,000.