Fire awareness burns bright

Most everyone is aware of the impact that the Region 23 Complex Fire had on the surrounding area. Students, faculty, staff, and any family members that have been adversely affected by the fire can seek assistance from the Chadron Community Foundation, Inc. or from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, if pasture was burned in the recent blaze.

The Nebraska Forest Service will be hosting it’s sixth annual Nebraska Wildland Fire Academy April 13-21, 2013. The cost to register is $30 per class.

“We’ve had higher numbers every year participate and we hope to have more participate this year,” Casey McCoy, wildland fire training manager, said. “Some years we’ve had as many as 30 students from Chadron State participate, and other years we’ve had as few as a dozen.”

Last year there were 270 students who participated in the training. Upon completion of the Fire Academy participants will obtain certification making them qualified to be on a forest fire, said Steve Lenzo, deputy forest supervisor of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands. If a student participates in the training the likelihood of that individual getting hired with a fire crew increases due individual’s initiative, Lenzo said.

Lenzo furthermore praised the Chadron State College personnel for accommodating firefighters during the Region 23 complex fire.

“[Chadron State] put up the firefighters, fed them, and provided a large meeting room for briefings and logistical support,” he said. “They did this all on a short notice, I can’t say enough good things about the staff and administration.”