National Fire Plan Success Story
National Park Service Provides RFA Grant to Local Firefighters
Big Bend National Park, Texas
National Fire Plan - Community Assistance
2008
Big Bend National Park provided $5,000 in rural fire assistance (RFA) funding to the Terlingua Fire and EMS (TFEMS) in 2008. The funding will help provide wildland fire equipment and personal protective gear to local firefighters including a chainsaw, Nomex shirts and pants, goggles, gloves, new generation fire shelters and fireline packs.
The park has provided RFA funding to local volunteer fire departments to improve their wildland firefighting capability each year since 2001. Several park employees volunteer with TFEMS and medics from both the park and TFEMS participate in bi-annual EMT refreshers. This ongoing partnership helps foster collaboration at the local level and improves firefighter safety.
“Our department is always looking for ways to improve our response capabilities and the funding from the Rural Fire Assistance and our relationship with the staff at Big Bend National Park helps us to provide quality aid to both of our communities.,” stated Chief Greg Hennington, Terlingua Fire and EMS.
Contact: John Morlock, Fire Management Officer, (432) 477-2397.