TPD, Nokomis FD among recipients of WPS Foundation’s 2026 Rewarding Responders grants

TOMAHAWK – The Tomahawk Police Department and the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department were among seven area agencies to receive funding through Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) Foundation’s Rewarding Responders grant program this year.

In a release, WPS explained that the WPS Foundation offers its Rewarding Responders grants annually to emergency response agencies that operate in the WPS service area. Eligible agencies can apply for up to $2,000 in funding to acquire lifesaving equipment.

Since the program began in 2014, the WPS Foundation has helped nearly 240 individual agencies through the grant, according to the release.

This year, the Foundation awarded a total of $75,000 to agencies across northcentral and northeast Wisconsin, bringing the total donated through the program to more than $750,000.

TPD’s funding allocation will go towards purchasing a new automated external defibrillator (AED), a portable medical device used to assist individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

The Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department will purchase a new firefighting hose nozzle with its contribution from the WPS Foundation.

Also receiving funding through the grant program in 2026 were the Crandon Area Rescue Squad, the Crescent Volunteer Fire Department, Lac du Flambeau Fire and Ambulance, the Minocqua Fire and Rescue Department and the Three Lakes Fire Department.

“We are honored to support the everyday heroes in our communities and their relentless dedication to keeping everyone safe,” said WPS Foundation President Beth Straka. “These grants mean more than just new equipment or one-time training sessions. Their true impact is felt when seconds are saved, damage is prevented and people’s lives return to normal because first responders had the tools they needed to prevent serious harm.”