Rural fire departments in Logan County are urging citizens to help support them with a sales tax extension come Aug. 26. Then came the news this week that a program that allows rural fire departments to purchase surplus military vehicles, to help fight fires, may be going away.
According to the state forestry, an agreement between the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency, aimed at reducing emissions, will stop the sale of defense vehicles that don’t meet the EPA’s emission standards.
“Devastating,” Guthrie Fire Chief Eric Harlow said.
Harlow’s department has purchased two of the army surplus trucks (Brush 3 and Tanker 1) through the program. A savings for the department coming in at about $375,000. The army-style trucks are significant upgrades from their previous equipment.
The good news is the department will still be allowed to use the re-manufactured vehicles. The bad news, according to Harlow, is the volunteer departments will struggle.
“These guys are using their own money out of their wallet to help equip these trucks just to get them barely functioning enough to fight fires. This program is the only equipment they can get.”
Harlow says the offices of Congressman Frank Lucas and U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe have already been in contact in hopes of keeping the program.
There are 14 rural fire departments in Logan County with 13 departments currently receiving a one-fourth county sales tax that is spread equally among the departments. County voters will decide in August to continue the one-quarter sales tax.
Logan County Fire Departments: Guthrie, Crescent, Cashion, Coyle, Deer Creek, Langston, Marshall, Meridian, Mulhall, Orlando, Oak Cliff, Sooner, Twin Lakes and Woodcrest. Deer Creek does not receive a share of the Logan County sales tax.
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