Rocky Mountain Region

U.S. Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Region
740 Simms St
Golden, CO 80401
303-275-5350

TTD ⁄ TTY
303-275-5367

Cooperative Fire Protection Program Planning

The USDA Forest Service offers help to improve the states’ fire protection capability over the long run. Priority is given to activities such as analysis; planning; technology development and transfer; sharing fire protection forces; and information collection and dissemination.

Technical help - The Forest Service provides or obtains the specialized skills and expertise needed to help the States accomplish program objectives.

Financial help - A Regional plan forms the basis for federal financial help distribution to States through grants, agreements, or contracts.

State Fire Assistance Program

The Forest Service cooperates, participates, and consults with State Forestry agencies on fire protection for non-federal wildlands and other rural lands. The Forest Service provides technical and financial help to State Foresters to accomplish the following:

- Improve wildfire protection capabilities.
- Communicate, coordinate, and cooperate with federal, state, and local agencies and tribal governments.
- Provide fire protection training to rural fire departments and tribes.
- Coordinate State response to wildfires that exceed local mutual aid capabilities.
- Inform the public of fire prevention measures.

Volunteer Fire Assistance Program

The Forest Service, through the State Foresters, provides the following:

- Technical and financial help on a competitive basis to communities under populations of 10,000 to improve the structural and wildland fire protection capabilities of local fire districts and departments.
- Grants to communities for training, equipment, supplies, organizing new fire districts, and firefighting equipment renovation obtained through the Federal Excess Personal Property Program.

Federal Excess Personal Property Program & Firefighter Program

Through the state foresters, the Forest Service accomplishes the following:

- Screens, obtains, and loans excess federal property, primarily military vehicles, to rural fire departments at no charge to improve local fire protection capability.
- Complements the State Fire Assistance Program and the Volunteer Fire Assistance Program to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local, tribal, state, and federal interagency fire protection.

Regional Fire Planning Program

The Forest Service works closely with the Region’s forests and other federal, state and local fire partners to accomplish the following:

- To develop adequate out-year wildland fire preparedness budget requests for the forests and regional office using Fire Program Analysis (FPA).
- In collaboration with other programs, develop an allocation approach and help with allocating/communicating the forests’ current year fire preparedness budget.
- Help forests with their annual Fire Management Plan revisions.
- Help the Regional Budget staff to ensure accountability for all fire preparedness funds and analyze trends and changes in capabilities.
The Regional Fire Planning program is committed to customer service, leadership and interagency Relationships. We will strive to provide the highest quality of service possible while ensuring honesty, integrity, and professionalism remain our core values. Being responsive to our customer’s needs and addressing current and emerging issues are important goals.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Management Assistance & Grant (FMAG)

The Forest Service works with FEMA to support efficient fire protection on non-federal rural lands. Technical advisors are provided to FEMA, and technical help is provided to state forestry in determining the need and applying for FEMA fire management assistance grants.

Smokey Bear Program

The Smokey Bear program stimulates active support and help between the Forest Service and other public agencies by conveying wildland fire prevention messages through the following:

- Public service advertising.
- Educational activities such as school programs, providing posters and other handout materials, and supporting the Junior Forest Ranger program and similar programs.
- Smokey Bear name and artwork commercial licensing.
- Smokey Bear personal appearances using officially sanctioned costumes.
- Smokey Bear Awards Program

The Cooperative Fire Protection

This Forest Service program provides leadership that encourages cooperation among all levels of government for sharing ideas, information, and services within the fire community.

Colorado

Kansas

Wyoming

Nebraska

South Dakota

Statewide Cooperative Fire Management Agreements

Colorado

Kansas

Nebraska

South Dakota

Wyoming