Each fire department received $5,742.86 earlier.
Ernie Moore, fire coordinator with the Eastern Oklahoma Development District in Muskogee through which the funds were disbursed, said, "The state legislature approved $4.5 million for our fire departments in the form of operational grants for this year. These grants have already been given to the fire departments to help in off setting the cost of fighting all the wild land fires we had in the winter and early spring."
Moore continued, "We appreciate the efforts of Rep. Glen 'Bud' Smithson (D-Sallisaw) for introducing the first bill this past session calling for doubling the operational grants for our fire departments. Through a lot of dedicated work on the parts of Smithson and State Rep. Ray Miller (D-Whitefield), along with the help of State Sens. Kenneth Corn (D-Poteau), Jim Wilson (D-Tahlequah) and Richard Lerblance (D-Hartshorne), the operational grants bill was funded, giving our fire departments some much needed additional funding."
Moore said Sequoyah County not only has a dedicated group of firefighters, but also has a delegation of legislators who are always available to help firefighters.
The Sequoyah County Firefighters Association presented each of the county's state legislators with a plaque of appreciation for the dedication to county firefighters.
Greg Walters of the Nicut Rural Fire Department said Sens. Corn, Wilson and Lerblance along with Smithson and Miller always strongly support all legislation benefiting local fire departments. "This is a small way to say thank you to our state senators and state representatives for always being there for the county firefighters," Walters said.
Walters concluded, "We look forward to working with each of these legislators in the months and years to come, in seeking grants and state money to enhance the fire departments of Sequoyah County."
