DeGray Rural Volunteer Fire Department is one of 91 rural departments in Arkansas to receive wildland fire suppression kits from the Rural Fire Protection Program, managed by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division.

The RFP received $315,221.13 through the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant from the United States Forest Service to purchase the kits.

Volunteer fire departments are the primary partner to Forestry Division crews in wildfire response and suppression, but they are often in need of specialized equipment and gear necessary for safe wildfire suppression.

In neighboring counties, the New DeRoche (Hot Spring County), Fairhills (Nevada), Elliott (Ouachita), Caddo Gap (Montgomery), Norman (Montgomery) and Southfork (Montgomery) rural volunteer fire departments were awarded fire suppression kits.

Since 2014, more than 670 wildland fire suppression kits have been distributed to volunteer fire departments throughout the state. The necessary equipment and gear in the kits include lightweight wildfire-resistant coveralls, wildland gloves, rakes, backpack water pumps, and leaf blowers. 

The applications are scored according to specific criteria including fire district population, the size of the response area, wildfire equipment response needs, and other factors. The next application period is expected to begin in August 2023.