Area fire agencies receive awards from license plate fund

Area fire departments and districts recently received a boost in their fire safety education programs through grants from the Idaho Firefighter's License Plate Fund.

Each year, through the purchase of custom Idaho firefighter license plates, vehicle owners support the fund managed by the Idaho Fire Chief's Association.

Northern Lakes, Coeur d'Alene and Worley each received $1,000 to purchase smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to assist residents considered "higher risk" of being affected by fire, including the elderly, physically impaired, or those experiencing financial difficulties.

Firefighters from Local 5856 of Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and the Kootenai County Fire Prevention Cooperative also received $1,000 each to purchase fire prevention educational materials and handouts.

Local 5856 firefighters plan to distribute their materials to the younger children of their district while the Fire Prevention Cooperative will be distributing its materials at events, including the North Idaho Fair, school fire safety programs and Kids Day in the Park.

The Shoshone County Fire Prevention Cooperative, which works closely with Kootenai County, also received $1,000 to support its safe campfire campaign. It will be distributing collapsible water buckets at events and camp sites, encouraging campers to put fires completely "dead out" when they leave the area.

The fund began 14 years ago and has provided more than $500,000 in grants to fire agencies throughout Idaho for fire safety education efforts for firefighters, fire chiefs and the general public. Providing assistance to as many agencies as possible, awards typically do not exceed $2,000, with most averaging between $300 and $1,000.

In 2014, there was $87,500 requested and $54,750 actually awarded in Idaho.

For additional information or to see other award recipients, visit idahofirechiefs.org.