Deal saves firemen's U.S. gear

Pollution waiver a relief for state

WASHINGTON -- After an outcry from rural firefighters, the federal government announced Wednesday that it will exempt surplus military vehicles and generators from emission standards, making them available again to fire departments.

The excess property is offered on loan or sold cheaply to fire departments in Arkansas and nationwide by the Department of Defense and saves departments millions of dollars each year, State Forester Joe Fox said.

Arkansas fire departments had petitioned the state's delegation for help restoring the programs after they were told they couldn't get vehicles or generators made before 2009 because the Defense Department and Environmental Protection Agency had agreed to destroy excess items that don't meet federal emission standards.

Arkansas State Firefighters Association President Jim Tolewitzke said destroying the military equipment didn't make sense.

"They're worried about emissions on a small truck. That small truck prevents many acres from burning or homes, or personal property of any type. The first line of defense is the local fire department," he said. "They don't realize how important these trucks are. This [Defense Department] equipment that the [federal government passes] on to us, it's just ungodly the amount of money we save each year."

The Defense Department's Defense Logistics Agency informed members of the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with the EPA to give excess trucks, generators and other equipment available to firefighters the same national security exemptions that apply to military property. The agreement means the program can reopen as long as the Defense Department holds the titles of the equipment and the equipment is only used to fight fires.

Fox said equipment made available by the surplus-property programs, including hoses, flashlights and fire-resistant clothing along with vehicles, helped expand the number of fire departments in Arkansas in the past 30 years from 250 departments to more than 1,000.

Fire departments in Arkansas use 1,665 trucks that are federal excess equipment or property worth $75 million, he said. In just 2013, the Arkansas Forestry Commission distributed 158 surplus trucks worth almost $15 million, he said. There is a waiting list for trucks, Fox said.

"It's very, very important," Fox said during a phone interview Wednesday. "The meat of [the program] is going to stay the same and that's very, very good."

According to the National Association of State Foresters, fire organizations across the country received more than $150 million in surplus equipment each year between 2008 and 2012.

Fox said the Forestry Commission will have to account for how the equipment is used. If it ever stops being used to fight fires, the equipment must be given to another fire department or sent back to the Department of Defense.

"It's a burden, but I wouldn't qualify it as a substantial burden," he said.

Sheridan Fire Chief Tim Stuckey said losing the surplus program would have crippled the growth of departments across Arkansas, especially rural departments without a strong tax base and large budget.

"At least we got the program back," he said. "It's back now on a loan program, which means you can keep it as long as you are using it. We use most everything up so that's OK."

Stuckey said the downside is that departments can't sell off used equipment for scrap to recoup money spent on improving it.

Fox said converting Defense Department vehicles to fight fires can cost departments between $12,000 and $15,000.

Several members of the delegation said they had received phone calls from foresters and firefighters before the agreement was announced Wednesday and were working with the Defense Department on restarting the surplus-property program.

U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., said he drafted a letter to the department and wrote legislation to address it Wednesday before hearing about the reversal of the decision. U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., had signed the letter, he said.

"These are surplus transfers from the military to communities and to firefighters who wouldn't otherwise get the equipment," Griffin said by phone. "At the end of the day common sense must have prevailed."

Cotton called the equipment vital.

"In a time when rural Arkansas is already being squeezed by President [Barack] Obama's struggling economy, surplus programs provide vital equipment to rural America who might otherwise be unable to afford it," he said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., signed on to a similar letter written by U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., before the announcement was made. U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., also signed the letter, his office said.

"The Administration's move to block much-needed equipment to rural communities was red-tape at its worst," Pryor said in a statement. "I appreciate all the first responders and local officials who reached out with their concerns, which I immediately shared with DOD. I'm pleased it came around and quickly reversed this decision."

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., also shared his concerns with the department, his staff said.

U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., called the agreement a relief and said he is glad "cooler heads" prevailed.

"It would have made a difference in some pretty vital resources for volunteer fire departments. [In] small rural communities it's all they have," Crawford said. "It would have made it very, very difficult, if not impossible for them to acquire that type of equipment."

A section on 07/10/2014

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