Arkansas volunteer fire departments receive wildfire suppression kits

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) – Arkansas’ Rural Fire Protection program received $279,562 as part of the 2021 Volunteer Fire Assistance grant from the United States Forest Service.

According to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the money will be used to purchase and distribute 87 Wildfire Suppression Kits to rural volunteer fire departments.

Since 2014, 579 volunteer fire departments have received Wildfire Suppression Kits through the Rural Fire Protection program, officials said.

The kits will include lightweight wildfire-resistant coveralls and gloves, hand rakes, back-pack water pumps, and leaf blowers.

Several volunteer fire departments chosen include those in Region 8. They are:

Clay County

• Greenway Fire Department

Cleburne County

• Hopewell Fire Department
• Tumbling Shoals – Ida Fire Department
• Wilburn Fire Department

Craighead County

• Cash Fire Department
• Monette Fire Department
• Valley View Fire Department

Crittenden County

• Anthonyville Fire Department
• Turrell Fire Department

Greene County

• Western Greene County Fire Department

Jackson County

• Diaz Fire Department
• Weldon Fire Department

Lawrence County

• Portia Fire Department

Mississippi County

• Keiser Fire Department

Randolph County

• Dalton Fire Department
• Warm Springs Fire Department

Stone County

• Fox Fire Department

St. Francis County

• Widener Fire Department

White County

• Higginson Fire Department

Applications for next year’s Wildfire Protection Kit program can be submitted starting Aug. 2022.

You can find an application online at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s website.

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