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The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division is now accepting applications for wildland fire suppression kits through October 20, 2023.
The Forestry Division received $293,154 through a United States Forest Service grant to provide 85 kits this year to rural volunteer fire departments across the state. Since 2014, more than 670 wildland fire suppression kits have been distributed.
Volunteer fire departments are the primary partner to Forestry Division crews in wildfire response and suppression, but they are often in need of specialized equipment and gear necessary for safe wildfire suppression. The necessary equipment and gear in the kits include lightweight wildfire-resistant coveralls, wildland gloves, rakes, backpack water pumps, and leaf blowers.
Rural volunteer fire departments are encouraged to apply online, but paper applications are available upon request. Applications are scored according to specific criteria to include the population of the fire district, the number of square miles covered, the average number of wildfires a department responds to annually, and other factors.
The selected departments will be notified in November and kits will be delivered in the spring of 2024 or as soon as supplies are received.
Fire departments may contact Kathryn Mahan-Hooten at kathryn.mahan@agriculture.arkansas.gov or (501) 679-3183 with questions.
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