For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, January 3, 2006

WASHINGTON D.C - Over the past few days, weeks and even months, the state of Oklahoma has been struck by deadly wildfires. Over 445 square miles have been impacted, leaving behind destruction and devastation for many of our state’s families. 

 

Emerging from the fire’s path has come the story of the Oklahoma firefighters. Some are full time, but many are volunteers who have dedicated many sleepless nights and exhausting days on the frontline of the blazes.  I want to personally commend their efforts. 

 

The response by state officials is also to be commended.  For several weeks, my office has been in contact with Governor Henry’s office, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, and with FEMA – and has found the cooperation between each entity to be exceptional.  In the coming days, crucial federal assistance to reimburse fire departments and help individuals and businesses rebuild must be a top priority in the aftermath of this disaster. We in the Oklahoma Congressional delegation are working together to ensure that the Governor’s requests for federal assistance are answered and expedited. 

 

The recent disaster underscores the importance of rural firefighters to our communities.  These men and women, who are often first on the scene in emergencies, depend upon the grant funding that provides them the resources they need to answer the call in disasters of all type, natural and man-made. 

 

Of all federal grant requests made by fire departments nationally, 72 percent are by rural departments.  In 2005, Oklahoma received $8,367,045 in grant assistance to firefighters – the majority of those grants being rural.  The Second Congressional District alone received $3,256,331 via grants, roughly 39 percent of the state total.  Our rural departments depend upon this funding to function, yet it is hardly enough to maintain operations.    

 

At a time when rural fire departments across the country continue to use outdated equipment and vehicles, Congress is still trying to make cuts.  In November, the House voted to cut $50 million in rural firefighter funding – eliminating the Rural Firefighters and Emergency Personnel Grants program for Fiscal Year 2007.  I did not support these cuts because of their crippling impact on Oklahoma’s rural departments.   

 

The Administration’s FY 2006 budget also proposed drastic cuts, targeting the Rural Fire Assistance Program which provides technical expertise, equipment and training activities to fire departments located in communities of less than 10,000 people.  The Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, providing federal grants directly to local fire departments and unaffiliated EMS organizations, was also cut by 23 percent. 

 

Aside from the invaluable services these departments provide communities in Eastern Oklahoma, their halls serve as a gathering place for community functions – a place where we showcase community pride.  Rural fire departments are the backbone of communities, and their firefighters are more than public servants - they are role models. Their communities look up to them, and when we call upon them, they are always there. 

 

More than 200 years ago, Benjamin Franklin wrote of firefighters: “They do it not for the sake of reward or fame, but they have a reward in themselves and they love one another.”  Many of our firefighters find a personal reward in putting themselves in danger to help others.  Its more than just a job or service, it’s in their blood.  But the reward is shared by all of us when rural firefighters safeguard our homes and communities.

 

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