Volunteer fire departments in Huttig and Norphlet are slated to receive new Wildfire Suppression Kits, thanks to the Rural Fire Program.
The program is managed by the Arkansas Agriculture Department’s Forestry Commission and received $237,000 from the U.S. Forest Service to purchase and distribute 79 kits to statewide volunteer fire departments in 2019. The kits feature equipment and gear necessary for the safe suppression of wildfires and will be delivered through May. Huttig and Norphlet were the only departments within Union County chosen to receive the kits.
Volunteer fire departments are the primary partner to AFC crews in wildfire response and suppression but often need the specialized equipment and gear necessary for safe wildfire suppression. Since 2014, more than 300 volunteer fire departments have received Wildfire Suppression Kits through the Rural Fire Program. Kits distributed this year include lightweight wildfire-resistant personal protective equipment, hand rakes, back-pack water pumps and leaf blowers.
Volunteer fire departments interested in participating in the Wildfire Suppression Kit program should submit applications that are scored according to specific criteria including fire district population, the size of the response area, wildfire equipment response needs and other factors.
The application period for the 2020 Wildfire Protection Kit program starts in September. For more information, contact Kathryn Mahan-Hooten at [email protected] or 501-679-3183.