The Kansas Forest Service has provided to the Abilene Fire Department a piece of equipment to aid in fighting wildfires.

According to the state agency, as part of the Federal Excess Property Program they recently supplied the Abilene Fire Department with a Utility Terrain Vehicle to help in the suppression of wildland fire in the community.

The Kansas Forest Service supports local fire departments with the Federal Excess Property Program, Firefighter Property Program, and the Equipment Donation Program. The programs are each unique in their own way.

Federal Excess Property Program: KFS obtains excess federal property – generally military vehicles such as all-wheel drive 5 Ton trucks, and fire equipment – which is then loaned to fire departments. The property remains under federal ownership. When no longer needed, a fire department returns the equipment to KFS for disposal.

Firefighter Property Program: This receives similar equipment, however, with many of the items, after the equipment has been in service a number of years and can no longer be utilized, the department can obtain a clear title thus allowing equipment to be sold or traded on new equipment as with any other department-owned property.

 Kansas Equipment Donation Program: Updates to the Kansas Tort Claims Act in recent years provide civil immunity for government entities or their employees who donate used equipment for use by other fire departments. Items donated  will be inventoried, evaluated to determine if they are usable, and/or cost-effective to test or refurbish will be made available at no cost to emergency service organizations in Kansas only.

All three programs help to put essential firefighting equipment in the hands of Kansas fire departments.

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Kansas Forest Service