The Windom Volunteer Fire Department was able to purchase personal protective equipment and other fire suppression equipment through a Rural fire Assistance Grant provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. - USFWS photo

The Windom Wetland Management District (WMD) recently awarded the Emmons and Windom (Minnesota) Volunteer Fire Departments with Rural Fire Assistance Grants.  The Emmons department received $8,482 and the Windom department received $4,770.

The Rural Fire Assistance Grant program enables rural fire departments to purchase fire suppression and communication equipment used in the suppression of wildland fires in, on, or near U.S. Fish and Wildlife lands throughout the Windom WMD.  These efforts have helped to reduce risk to human life and property while allowing USFWS firefighters to interact and work with local fire organizations when suppressing wildfires.

The Windom WMD encompasses 12 counties throughout southern Minnesota.  Approximately 90 rural fire departments exist within the WMD.  Due to the distance of USFWS suppression equipment in relation to many of the waterfowl production areas in the district, volunteer fire departments routinely help fight fires on federal government lands.  Often times, it may take USFWS resources several hours to reach the scene of a distant wildfire.  Rural volunteer fire departments are often the first on the scene of a fire and are the key to protecting both life and property on national wildlife refuges and in surrounding communities.

To date, a total of nine grants totaling $48,935 have been awarded to six departments within the Windom WMD.  Other Minnesota towns receiving grants in the past include: Jeffers, Currie, Lakefield and Jackson.