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NFS places 50 pieces of equipment on loan to rural fire districtsNebraska Last fiscal year the Nebraska Forest Service placed 50 pieces of equipment with a replacement value of more than $4.2 million with rural fire districts across Nebraska. The equipment is obtained via two federal programs: Federal Excess Personal Property and Fire Fighter Property. Through these programs the Nebraska Forest Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, is able to obtain certain types of equipment that no longer are needed by the federal government, including 6x6 trucks, 4x4 trucks, fire trucks, crash trucks, semi-tractors and generators. This equipment is reconditioned at the NFS Fire Shop in Mead and loaned to cooperating rural fire districts. Currently, there are more than 350 pieces of Federal Excess Personal Property and Fire Fighter Property equipment on loan to rural fire districts across Nebraska. The replacement value of this equipment is nearly $23 million. Some rural fire districts, including Gracy, Rackett, Mid Cherry and Barley, are equipped exclusively through these programs. "These programs are a tremendous asset to Nebraska because they allow rural fire districts to obtain quality fire fighting equipment they may not be able to otherwise afford," said Lew Sieber, Nebraska Forest Service fire equipment manager. NFS is responsible for screening, retrieving, reconditioning, inventorying and assigning equipment obtained through these programs. This includes determining what repairs and upgrades are necessary to bring the equipment to current safety standards. Additional safety devices, such as back-up alarms, light bars, electrical converters and, if necessary, hard tops may be added to vehicles. Cooperating rural fire districts are responsible for painting and equipping vehicles within six months of receiving them. Additionally, districts must maintain the truck while in use and keep the water load of tanker or pumper trucks within specifications. For more information about these programs please contact Lew Sieber at 402-624-8061. The Nebraska Forest Service is a part of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UNL.
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