The Alaska Division of Forestry recently awarded more than $186,000 to 40 rural fire departments around the state to improve firefighting capabilities and to enhance wildfire protection in the wildland-urban interface. Funding for the program was made available through the U.S. Forest Service as part of the federal Volunteer Fire Assistance program to help improve fire protection in inadequately protected areas.
The Kenai Fire Department received funding in the amount of $4,864.50, which the Kenai City Council unanimously enacted an ordinance to accept and appropriate that money. The grant funding will be used to purchase personal protective equipment for the personnel, which will be used to respond to forest fire incidents. Additional equipment will be purchased to improve response capabilities in the service area to assist the Division of Forestry on incidents as a cooperator.
Council Member Teea Winger tells council:
“I’ll be in support of this. I think it’s always great, again, to get as much emergency equipment. As you look around, spruce bark beetle is a real thing in our city. We have a lot of downed trees. I would hope that people would take this advantage as spring comes to properly clear their properties for fire spacing. We do have a firewise plan and I think just having the tools if our guys get called out, which they did get called out, I think it was a year or two ago to a fire out behind Inlet Woods and they were able to respond aggressively and get that controlled and put out. I think this is great to add more tools to their toolbox.”
Fire departments could apply for up to $5,000 in grant funds. The money received cannot be used for repair, construction or purchase of buildings, land acquisition, emergency medical equipment, computers or computer software and other specified items. The Division of Forestry annually provides VFA grant funds to fire departments around the state. Last year, the DOF awarded more than $159,000 to 34 fire departments around the state.
To qualify for the grants, fire departments must serve a population of 10,000 or less.