$200,000 available for Nevada volunteer fire departments

The Nevada Division of Forestry has obtained $200,000 in federal funds to make grants to rural local and volunteer fire departments in Nevada.

The U.S. Forest Service awarded the state the cash under the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program.

Forestry officials are seeking applications from Nevada’s small fire departments. The funding is to improve rural departments’ readiness to respond to wildfires, especially those in the wildland-urban interface.

The money can be used to buy protective equipment, new generation fire shelters, high-tech radios and supplies such as fire hoses.

A spokesman said the applications should include a prioritized list of each applicant department’s needs. Applications should be submitted on the form already mailed to those individual fire departments. A copy of that form can be found on the division website at http://forestry.nv.gob/grants/

The deadline for applications is June 1. More information is available from Ryan Shane at 684-2511.