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While visiting the Dell City Volunteer Fire
Department recently, Guadalupe Mountains National Park Superintendent
John Lujan took a moment to leave a little something behind
— $15,000 in fire funds for the Dell City Fire Department.
Lujan presented the check to Assistant Fire
Chief Alana Wright at the town’s Fire Station in Dell
City, Texas. The check represents the Rural Fire Assistance
Grant awarded to the Dell City Volunteer Fire Department in
providing personal protective equipment and additional wildland
fire suppression equipment for the department’s fire
station.
“We are pleased to be able to support
the efforts of the Dell City Fire Department,” said
John Lujan, Park Superintendent. “Firefighter safety
is our No. 1 priority, and this funding will greatly enhance
the safety of all firefighters that work in and around our
park.”
“We have been working hard to equip
our firefighters and wildland fire engines to meet national
standards,” said Dell City Assistant Fire Chief Alana
Wright.
“With this support, we have purchased
the firefighter safety and suppression equipment necessary
to meet the national wildland fire engine requirements and
have full compatibility with our cooperators such as the National
Park. Having the same equipment and training as our neighbors
is critical to success in wildland fire suppression in our
area.”
The National Park Service has helped its
local partners through the Rural Fire Assistance program since
the National Fire Plan funding of 2001. In this fiscal year,
the NPS Intermountain Region has disbursed $443,500 to help
neighboring rural fire departments.
The Rural Fire Assistance program is primarily
designed to increase firefighter safety and enhance the wildland
fire protection capabilities of rural fire departments. Priority
is given to departments that pursue accepted standards of
wildland fire qualifications, training and performance.
Emphasis is placed on departments such as
the Dell City Volunteer Fire Department that play a substantial
cooperative role in the protection of National Park Service
lands and support interagency fire efforts.
This is the first Rural Fire Assistance
Grant received by the Dell City Volunteer Fire Department.
Contact: Jim McMahill, Fire Management
Officer
Phone: (915) 828-3251 x217 |
