Southwest Arkansas fire departments receive kits to help them fight wildfires

LITTLE ROCK — Several Southwest Arkansas volunteer fire departments have received wildfire suppression kits from Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division.

The Rural Fire Protection program, managed by the the Arkansas Department of Agriculture received $294,442 to purchase and distribute 96 Wildfire Suppression Kits to rural volunteer fire departments, according to a news release. The money was awarded as part of the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant from the United States Forest Service.

Genoa Volunteer Fire Department in Miller County, Fulton and Perrytown Volunteer Fire Departments in Hempstead County received the kits along with Cossatot Fire Department in Sevier County and Oak Hill Fire Department in Little River County.

Volunteer fire departments are the primary partner of Forestry Division crews in wildfire response and suppression, but they are often in need of the specialized equipment and gear necessary for safe wildfire suppression, officials say. The equipment distributed this year in the Wildfire Suppression Kits included lightweight wildfire-resistant coveralls and gloves, hand rakes, back-pack water pumps, and leaf blowers. Since 2014, more than 490 volunteer fire departments have received Wildfire Suppression Kits through the Rural Fire Protection program valued at $1,499,411.

Any volunteer fire department interested in participating in the Wildfire Suppression Kit program must submit an application, which is then scored according to specific criteria including fire district population, the size of the response area, wildfire equipment response needs, and other factors. The next application period for the Wildfire Suppression Kit program is expected to begin in August.