Markleeville volunteers to receive new wildland engine

The Markleeville Volunteer Fire Department will receive a wildland fire engine from the Bureau of Land Management at the Carson City Field Office 11 a.m. Wednesday.

BLM Field Office Manager Don Hicks will present a 1997 Ford F-450 Type VI fire engine to Assistant Chief Jeff Brees of the Markleeville VFD. This engine comes from the BLM-Ely Field Office after being determined to be excess to agency needs.

Hicks will also pass the keys to a 1993 Navistar Type IV wildland fire engine to Chairman Richard Black of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribal Emergency Response Commission.

This engine is coming out of the BLM-Carson City Field Office's fleet after being replaced with new equipment.

"Both of these fire engines are currently valued at $20,000 apiece and are being provided as part of $566,000 in 2006 BLM-Nevada Rural Fire Assistance Program funds being distributed to rural and tribal departments around the state," said Hicks. "I expect these four-wheel drive fire trucks will enhance the capabilities of both fire departments for years to come."

The BLM-Nevada Rural Fire Assistance Program, a result of the National Fire Plan passed after the 2000 fire season, has distributed over $5.2 million in equipment, supplies, training and fire prevention materials to 135 rural/tribal volunteer fire departments in Nevada in the last four years.