Great Lakes Fire Management Zone Fire Departments receive much needed wildland fire supplies and equipment.

Porter Fire Chief standing with equipment received from grant.

NPS

As part of the Rural Fire Readiness program, the National park Service was able to award 13 fire departments servicing 3 NPS units with over $97,000 worth of personal protective equipment and other firefighting tools this fall. The protective clothing, designed for wildland firefighting and other technical rescue work, allows the departments to reduce wear and tear their more expensive structural firefighting turn-out gear. Wildland fire clothing is also lighter and allows the firefighter to work much more effectively in hot wildland fire conditions.

At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan, the Homestead Volunteer Fire Department, Frankfort Fire Department, Cedar Volunteer Fire Department, Glen Lake Volunteer Fire Department and the Leland Volunteer Fire Department all received grant funds.

At Lincoln Boyhood National Monument in Southern Indiana, the Santa Claus Volunteer Fire Department, Carter Volunteer Fire Department and Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Departments were grant recipients.

At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the Chesterton Fire Department, Town of Pines Fire Department, Porter Fire Department, Ogden Dunes Volunteer FIre Department and Beverly Shores Volunteer Fire Department all benefited from the Rural Fire Readiness Grant.

Additionally, the Burns Harbor Fire Department was able to receive an excess Wildland Fire Engine from the National Park Service. The 2005 Ford F-550 fire engine had been replaced by the NPS with a newer 2018 model, but had only 77,000 thousand miles on it. Burns Harbor was able to receive the engine, replacing a 1995 pick up with a more capable unit that could be used to better serve the community and assist the NPS with fires in and around the Indiana Dunes.

Strong working relationships, training and grant programs like the Rural Fire Readiness program ensure that visitors and neighbors to the National Parks are protected from wildland fires through integrated response and planning. Future grant opportunities will further provide for enhanced response to emergencies in and around the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone.

Ogden Dunes Firefighters receiving their new wildland personal protective equipment.

Ogden Dunes VFD

Fire Staff from the Great Lakes Fire Management Zone and Fire Chiefs from the Burns Harbor Fire Department stand in front of the donated wildland fire engine.

NPS