Several rural and volunteer fire departments in Northwest Indiana recently received Volunteer Fire Assistance grants through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The money, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, will be used to purchase training or equipment focused on combating wildfires.
The maximum grant per department was $5,000. Recipients were selected based on population density, acres of public lands protected, and wildland fire reporting to DNR Fire Control Headquarters, according to the Indiana DNR.
Here are the Northwest Indiana grant recipients, the amount awarded and its intended use:
Lake County: Lake Dalecarlia VFD, $5,000, communications; and Lowell VFD, $5,000, communications.
Porter County: Kouts FD, $5,000, safety; Morgan Township VFD, $5,000, safety; and Porter FD, $5,000, safety.
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LaPorte County: Cass-Clinton VFD, $5,000, safety; LaCrosse VFD, $5,000, safety; and Noble Township VFD, $5,000, safety.
Jasper County: Keener FD, $1,394.50, safety.
Wildfire vulnerability: Lack of backup power imperils firefighting efforts across US
Jim Rensberger fills up a water jug from a water buffalo at Kula distribution hub on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii.
Kyle Ellison stands in front of a fallen tree on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. Hours before devastating fires scorched the historic town of Lahaina on Maui, Ellison labored to save his rental house in Kula, a rural mountain town 24 miles away, from a different blaze.
A water tank on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii, that was part of a system that lost pressure during wildfires. A lack of backup power for critical pumps seriously hindered firefighting in Kula, county water director John Stufflebean told The Associated Press. Once the winds knocked out electricity, pumps were unable to push water up into tanks and reservoirs that were key to maintaining pressure.
Kyle Ellison drives to the other side of a gorge Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. to show the damage from wildfires. As high winds whipped burning trees and grass, Ellison and his landlord struggled with plummeting water pressure. Ellison had to wait for pots to slowly fill in the sink before running them to the fire; his landlord wielded a garden hose with little more than a trickle.
Kyle Ellison, second from the right, walks a group of volunteers to a burned property where they will clean up branches and trees on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. As high winds whipped burning trees and grass, Ellison and his landlord struggled with plummeting water pressure. Ellison had to wait for pots to slowly fill in the sink before running them to the fire; his landlord wielded a garden hose with little more than a trickle.
Paula Ambre, a volunteer at the Kula distribution hub, puts recycled bottles and cans into a trash bag with Kyle Ellison on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. Ellison collects the water bottles and cans and puts the money toward rebuilding the community, such as by renting wood chippers.
Volunteers of American Red Cross, Tom Hobbs, of Colorado, left, hands a box of cans of water to Kimberly Patrick-Chapman, of Michigan, at the Kula distribution hub on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. The American Water Works Association advises providers to have a plan for up to three days without power. Big cities usually have done some emergency planning, and some states have added requirements in recent years to ensure utilities function at least a while without power. But much of the responsibility to keep water flowing falls to thousands of local utilities across the country, many with limited funds, said Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University professor who studies drinking water contamination following wildfires.
Water is available at a distribution hub by Kula Lodge on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. Experts said backup power systems are expensive. The Environmental Protection Agency, which enforces clean drinking water standards, recommends but doesn’t require utilities to have backup systems — even as climate change is leading to more frequent and damaging extreme weather events.
Burned trees stand in Kula on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. Hours before fires largely destroyed the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina, residents in Kula were trying to stop flames reaching their homes despite a frustrating loss of pressure in their water system.
Kyle Ellison steps on some burned branches on Sept. 27, 2023, in Kula, Hawaii. As high winds whipped burning trees and grass, Ellison and his landlord struggled with plummeting water pressure. Ellison had to wait for pots to slowly fill in the sink before running them to the fire; his landlord wielded a garden hose with little more than a trickle. “It’s a very disconcerting feeling when the fire department shows up and they don’t have water,” Ellison said.
