Oklahoma Insurance Department News Releases (large media) Update Oklahoma Insurance Department sent this bulletin at 07/03/2014 10:05 AM CDT For Immediate Release: July 3, 2014 Commissioner Doak Says Federal Decision Will Hurt Oklahoma’s Rural Fire Departments OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak says rural fire departments in Oklahoma will be devastated by an agreement between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to no longer allow unused DoD vehicles to be retrofitted and used by rural fire departments. “This will have a major impact on Oklahoma’s rural fire departments,” said Doak. “Many are already on extremely tight budgets and struggling to get all the equipment they need. They don’t have the money to buy new or even used vehicles in many cases. Without access to these DoD vehicles and other equipment, many Oklahoma fire departments will find it difficult to operate.” Through two long-standing federal excess property programs, Oklahoma Forestry Services has been able to provide rural fire departments military trucks remanufactured into wildland engines and water tenders at no cost. Currently, Oklahoma fire departments are using 8,812 vehicles and pieces of equipment from the DoD valued at over $150 million. DoD recently ended the program when it decided to enforce a 25-year-old agreement with the EPA. Under the agreement, vehicles not meeting EPA emission standards would be destroyed instead of sold. “This ill-conceived plan will put Oklahoma lives and property in danger,” said Doak. “I know Oklahoma Forestry Services is working with other state officials to find a solution and they have my full support. I will personally be talking with the state’s congressional delegation about this issue that is so important to rural Oklahoma.” The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID), through its Insurance Services Office (ISO) review program, works with rural fire districts across the state to improve Public Protection Classification (PPC) ratings which can reduce homeowners insurance premiums. The Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System is funded, in part, by the state’s insurance premium tax. Commissioner Doak designates one individual to serve on the pension plan’s Board of Trustees. That position is presently held by OID Chief Actuary Frank Stone. About the Oklahoma Insurance Department The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state. Lawmakers: Support for Rural Firefighters Dwindling Direct Link to This Story Print Story Rep. Joe Dorman and Rep. Gus Blackwell Contact: Pam King Office: (405) 557-7305 OKLAHOMA CITY – State Reps. Joe Dorman and Gus Blackwell want to see rural firefighters get more state support. “Rural fire departments in Oklahoma are getting hit on multiple fronts,” said Dorman, D-Rush Springs. “They are responding to around 75 percent of the wildfires in our state, but receiving less state funding than in the past. Now, a federal program has been halted that provides them with valuable vehicles and equipment.” “We have had severe drought in Oklahoma this year and fire departments are feeling the strain,” said Blackwell, R-Laverne. “One of the rural fire departments in Northwest Oklahoma had to travel four hours to respond to the mutual aid call during the Fort Supply fire. That fire alone ate up most of their annual gas allowance.” Rural fire departments across Oklahoma will be devastated by an agreement between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which stops making available excess DoD vehicles that are critical to rural fire departments’ ability to fight wildland fires. Through two long-standing federal excess property programs, Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) and Firefighter Property program (FPP), Oklahoma Forestry Services has been able to assist rural fire departments by providing no-cost military trucks that are then re-manufactured into wildland engines and water tenders through its Rural Fire Assistance Program. Currently there are 8,812 vehicle and pieces of equipment, valued at over $150 million, being utilized by Oklahoma’s rural fire departments. According to a recent U.S. Drought Monitor report, May ended with 80 percent of the state in drought. Extreme-to-exceptional drought reached as high as 61 percent before the rains began late in the month and finished at 55 percent. Over one-quarter of the state remained in exceptional drought, the worst classification, by the month’s end. Oklahoma’s most recent spring ended as the 10th driest on record since 1895. The first five months of the year were the driest since 1936 and the third driest such period on record (since 1895). “These drought conditions could make this wildfire season one of the worst we have seen in years,” Dorman said. “I do not feel we can run the risk of leaving our volunteer fire departments and those areas they serve around the state at risk over the rest of the year without the proper funding and resources to do their jobs.” Wildfires in Oklahoma from 2005 to 2013 have burned 955,772 acres, or about 106,000 acres per year. With more than 30,000 acres burned this May, there has already been more damage than the 18,394 acres that burned in 2013. Dorman, the senior Democratic member of the House General Conference Committee on Appropriations said that rural fire departments receive an appropriation through the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. The agency was forced to cut support to rural fire departments in response to budget cuts in recent years. Specifically, the 80/20 grants provided to fire departments have been reduced due to cuts. The Rural Economic Action Plan, which among other things provides funding to rural fire departments, took a cut of 5.5 percent in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget signed by Gov. Mary Fallin. Over the years, it has been reduced from $15 million to $10 million. Dorman and Blackwell said an increase in funding for rural fire departments is of critical importance and easily affordable. An increase of $5 million, for example, would have a significant positive impact, but almost no effect on the budget, they said. The two term-limited state lawmakers also urged Oklahomans with the means to support their local volunteer fire departments to get in touch with their fire chiefs about how they can offer assistance.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 06:56:29 +0000
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