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The National Park Service (NPS), in conjunction with Golden Spike National Historic Site, recently provided $34,000 in rural fire assistance funding to fire departments in Box Elder County. Box Elder County will receive $12,000, Thatcher / Penrose - $10,000, Corinne - $9,000, and Honeyville - $3,000. The funding will increase firefighter safety and enhance their fire protection capability when responding to wildland fires. This is the second consecutive year that companies in Box Elder County have received rural fire assistance through the National Park Service.
"To qualify for assistance, a RFD must meet certain requirements," explained Golden Spike's Superintendent Mary Risser. "These RFD's must have a cooperative agreement with the NPS and they must serve a community with a population of less than 10,000. The RFD must share a minimum of 10% of the cost (which may include in-kind services) and must serve a community in the wildland/urban interface. Funding can only be used for training, equipment, and prevention activities."
"This is the second year in a row that we have been successful in receiving grant money," continued Risser. "Box Elder County Fire Marshall Greg Martz has worked closely with me to develop our grant requests and then ordered and distributed the equipment acquired through the grant funds."
"In 2002, we received almost $37,800 for Thatcher/Penrose, Corinne, Tremonton, and Garland," stated Fire Marshall Martz. "The funds purchased 5,000-gallon portable water tanks, pumps, hose reels, plumbing fittings, personnel protection equipment, and miscellaneous other equipment. Because I was able to use this grant money to augment the funds that I receive from the County, I was able to outfit three wildland fire engines instead of only two."
Of the 385 units of the NPS, at least 245 experience wildland fires either originating within the unit or igniting outside and threatening the park. Significant assistance from adjacent small communities' rural or volunteer fire departments is required to respond to wildland fires, particularly in the smaller units such as Golden Spike. In many cases, those fire departments are the only firefighting resources available to assist the parks.
Risser emphasized the importance of the Rural Fire Assistance Program to the park and the surrounding communities. "This program offers Golden Spike National Historic Site a wonderful opportunity to continue our cooperative working relationship with the rural fire departments in Box Elder County by providing them with much needed equipment and training. It is a good example of how the National Park Service recognizes the important role that these rural fire districts play in the protection of our public lands."
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