Rural Fire Program Provides Nearly $100K in Equipment to Firefighters

Provides equipment and more to Ark. fire departments

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Forestry Commission Rural Fire Program (RFP) provided $94,566 in equipment to firefighters at the annual Rural Fire Show event on October 27. A crowd of 558 attended, with firefighters from 141 departments from across Arkansas. Included among equipment items distributed for free to fire crews were monitors, nozzles, spine boards, boots, spill kits, and siren boxes.

“This year’s Fire Show was a great turnout! We had more vendors than ever before, and over 140 fire departments. Our goal is to continue to grow each year, and to express our thanks to volunteer fire departments from across the state for what they do for their communities, and for their continued partnership in wildfire prevention and suppression,” says Kathryn Mahan-Hooten, Rural Fire Program Administrator.

Sponsors, donors, and partners are critical to making the annual Rural Fire Show a successful appreciation event for statewide fire crews. Find a full list here of all who supported the 2017 effort.

Since 1979, the RFP has worked to provide equipment, training, and support to Arkansas fire departments and remains one of the top programs of its kind in the U.S. for the amount and value of federal excess property screened and placed with fire departments. Since the beginning of this program, Arkansas fire departments have received a total of $181,972,374.62 in federal excess property.

Equipment and vehicles available through the RFP Program are classified as Department of Defense excess property. Items are provided to the U.S. Forest Service through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two federal agencies. The U.S. Forest Service authorizes the Arkansas Forestry Commission (AFC) to oversee the distribution of equipment through the RFP Program. RFP personnel screen for and coordinate the pick-up of federal excess property from across the U.S. to meet the needs of Arkansas fire department requests.

Fire departments may apply for equipment through county AFC offices; provided that they are in compliance with Federal Regulations. Forms and more information is available here: http://www.aad.arkansas.gov/rural-fire-program.

The AFC is an agency of the Arkansas Agriculture Department. The mission of the Arkansas Forestry Commission is to protect Arkansas’s forests, and those who enjoy them, from wildland fire and natural hazards while promoting rural and urban forest health, stewardship, development, and conservation for all generations of Arkansans.

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Press Release